An Illinois McDonald’s manager is facing charges after allegedly shooting the mother of a teenage employee who had been asked to leave work for refusing to take out the trash. Kathy Bledsoe, 44, is accused of drawing a handgun and shooting 35-year-old Tynika R. McKinzie during a confrontation that also resulted in a second individual being shot at the Belleville McDonald’s on Wednesday, local police reported.
The dispute began when Bledsoe asked a young female employee to take the trash to the dumpster. When the teenager refused, Bledsoe instructed her to clock out and leave. The young employee then contacted her mother, McKinzie, who arrived at the restaurant with another young female.
Authorities were called to the McDonald’s location at 125 South Belt East around 4:45 p.m. Upon investigation, it was discovered that McKinzie and her daughter had gone behind the counter and into the restaurant’s office area, where they confronted Bledsoe. During the altercation, Bledsoe is alleged to have drawn a handgun and fired a shot into McKinzie’s leg.
Bledsoe was taken into custody at the scene, while McKinzie was transported to a local hospital for treatment. McKinzie is also facing charges for allegedly assaulting Bledsoe by striking her in the face and head prior to the shooting.
Belleville Police Department officials expressed concern over the incident, stating, “It seems individuals are quick to resort to violence to resolve disputes without consideration of the impact their actions have on the community as a whole.” They added that the incident was unnecessary and could have been resolved without resorting to violence.
Bledsoe was scheduled to be transferred to the St. Clair County Jail on Friday pending a detention hearing. This incident comes on the heels of another violent episode at a Michigan McDonald’s, where a 26-year-old employee was arrested for allegedly stabbing her 39-year-old manager to death following a verbal dispute.