A 4-year-old fired a gun at police officers on Monday after his father instructed him to do so. Officials said the incident occurred during a dispute over a food order at a McDonald’s drive-through in Utah.
According to the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, the shooting occurred at a McDonald’s in Midvale, just outside of Salt Lake City, after a man brandished a gun at a fast-food worker during a dispute over his food.
When the argument began, Sadaat Johnson was at the drive-through window with two children in the back seat. The 27-year-old Johnson pulled over and waited for his order to be fixed. Instead of making his food, the employees called the police, reported KUTV.
When officers arrived, they were able to remove the uncooperative man from the vehicle.
While being detained, police said, the dad told the 4-year-old child, still in the back seat, to shoot the cops. A small arm and hand holding a gun appeared from inside the vehicle door, police said.
As the child fired the weapon, an officer struck the gun, forcing the bullet upwards. The bullet hit a restaurant awning.
Fox 13 reported that no one was seriously injured in the incident. The officer who hit the gun did receive a minor injury on his arm.
The other child in the vehicle was 3-years-old. On Monday night, his connection to the suspects was not clear.
The identity of the man was not released immediately by law enforcement. As of Monday night, charges against the man have not been announced.
According to KUTV, it is unclear whether the child was released into the custody of a guardian or if the Utah Division of Child and Family Services was involved.
