Police said a 24-year-old man was arrested after the employee was shot in the shoulder at the Okolona restaurant.
LOUISVILLE, KY — A Texas Roadhouse employee was shot Thursday evening at an Okolona restaurant after police said a customer tried to leave without paying and was confronted during the dinner rush.
The shooting at 3322 Old Outer Loop sent one man to UofL Hospital and shook customers, employees and nearby residents in a part of south Louisville where families and church groups had gathered for dinner. Louisville Metro Police identified the suspect as 24-year-old Ronald Winter and said he was charged after officers and Bullitt County deputies found him hours later.
Police said officers were called about 6:11 p.m. June 11 to the Texas Roadhouse after a report of a shooting inside the restaurant. When officers arrived, they found a man with a shoulder wound and began giving aid until medical crews arrived. The man was taken by EMS to UofL Hospital with injuries police described as not life-threatening. Texas Roadhouse later said the employee was stable and expected to be released from the hospital. The company said it was grateful to Louisville Metro Police and first responders for their quick response to the emergency at the Okolona location.
Court documents said Winter tried to leave the restaurant without paying for his meal. An employee, described by local officials as a manager, saw him and confronted him. Police said the employee grabbed Winter’s arm. The employee told investigators Winter then reached toward his waistband area. The employee said he tried to tackle Winter to the ground and then heard a gunshot. Police said the employee was hit in the shoulder. Investigators said Winter left the scene after the shooting. Witnesses and surveillance footage helped police identify a red Ford Ranger connected to the case. Winter was later found off Highway 44 in Shepherdsville.
Investigators said the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office found Winter with a black handgun that had a shell casing in the chamber. Police said the Louisville Metro Police Non-Fatal Shooting Unit is leading the investigation. The arrest warrant said the employee was able to give a description of Winter after he was shot. Police have not released the injured employee’s name. They also have not said whether any other customers or workers were physically hurt during the shooting. Court records list a second-degree assault charge against Winter. Police said the case remains open, and additional findings from surveillance footage, witness statements and forensic testing could become part of the court record.
The shooting unfolded while customers were eating inside the restaurant. Zelia Vandiver, who was there with friends from her church, said the sound first seemed like a loud crash. She said the room changed as workers and customers realized something more serious had happened. “All of a sudden I heard one of the waitresses or somebody that works there say get down really loud, and everybody just got down on the floor,” Vandiver said. She said the moment was frightening and difficult to process. A social media post from Ascend Church said a fundraiser was being held at the restaurant during the shooting.
Metro Councilwoman Ginny Mulvey-Woolridge, who represents District 24, which includes Okolona, said the shooting left many residents concerned. She said she was shocked that a dispute over an unpaid bill could turn into gunfire inside a restaurant. “I know that has to bring fear into them as well as fear into the community of, is this going to happen again at a restaurant?” Mulvey-Woolridge said. She said leaving a restaurant without paying is not unheard of, but the use of a gun in that kind of confrontation was alarming. She said she was concerned someone took the situation to that level.
The restaurant reopened at 3 p.m. June 12 after the shooting. Texas Roadhouse said staff members were provided support before the Okolona location reopened. The company’s statement said the injured employee was stable and would be released from the hospital. The shooting also drew attention because Texas Roadhouse is based in Louisville and has deep ties to the region, though the incident happened at a local restaurant during normal dinner service. Police said Winter had previously left the same Texas Roadhouse without paying earlier in the week, but officials did not release more details about that earlier incident.
Winter is being held at the Bullitt County Jail. Court records show he is scheduled to appear in court June 25. Investigators have not said whether they are seeking more charges, and police have not released a final account of the moments before the gun fired. The next public step in the case is the scheduled court appearance.
Author note: Last updated June 16, 2026.