Police said the argument began after a customer used a water cup to get soda.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL — A Taco Bell employee is accused of firing shots at three customers Monday after a dispute over a drink cup escalated inside a restaurant near 45th Street and Military Trail, police said.
D’Mari Jy’Quan Patterson, 20, faces three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm after police said he pulled a gun during an argument with three women. The case has drawn attention because investigators said the confrontation began with a water cup and ended with two people hurt, a window shattered and the restaurant shut down while officers secured the scene.
Officers were called to the Taco Bell just before noon Monday after reports of gunfire inside the restaurant. According to an arrest report, three customers entered the business and asked for water cups. Police said one of them then used a cup at the soda fountain, leading to a verbal dispute with Patterson. A witness recorded part of the confrontation on a cellphone. Investigators said the video showed Patterson yelling during the argument. At one point, police said, the sound of a firearm being racked could be heard before a shot was fired inside the dining area.
Police said Patterson swung at one of the customers as the first shot was fired. One woman fell to the floor after being shot, and another suffered a graze wound, investigators said. The third customer ran toward the exit. Police said Patterson followed the group outside and fired another shot toward one of the women. That round missed the customers and struck a window near the entrance, breaking the glass. Customers inside the restaurant ran or took cover as the scene unfolded. The three women later left in a vehicle and drove themselves to JFK North Medical Center.
The injuries were described as minor, and police said all three women were treated. One customer was grazed by a bullet, another was injured during the struggle, and the third was not struck by gunfire, according to reports from investigators. Police said no weapon was found on the customers. Patterson told authorities he believed the women were armed and said someone had jumped behind the counter, but investigators said witness statements and video did not support his account. Police said the women appeared to be trying to leave when the later shot was fired.
After the shooting, Patterson called 911 and admitted firing the gun, according to the arrest report. He told officers he placed the firearm in a management office before they arrived. Police said another employee had tried to move Patterson away from the customers during the argument. Investigators also said the evidence showed Patterson was an active part of the verbal confrontation before the shooting. The case remained under review by the State Attorney’s Office, which will decide how to proceed as the criminal case moves through court.
Patterson made his first court appearance Tuesday. He remained in custody after that hearing and was scheduled for another court date on May 27. Court records reviewed by reporters listed the aggravated assault counts tied to each of the three customers. The restaurant was temporarily closed while police processed the scene, and crime scene tape surrounded the building after officers arrived. Traffic backed up along Military Trail as police units responded to the midday shooting.
When reporters returned to the restaurant Tuesday, a window near the entrance was boarded up. Police said the damage came from one of the shots fired during the confrontation. Some customers who spoke near the restaurant described shock but also resignation after learning what police said led to the shooting. “I mean it doesn’t surprise me the world we live in today,” one customer told a local television station. Another customer said, “Things happen, and we just take it as it is and go from there.”
The shooting remains an open criminal case. Patterson has not been convicted of a crime, and the next known court milestone is scheduled for May 27 as prosecutors review the police findings.
Author note: Last updated April 29, 2026.