Argument between employees leaves teen dead, another behind bars

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - An 18-year-old McDonald’s employee is dead. Police said the Clayton County teen was shot and killed while on the job. And investigators said the person accused of pulling the trigger is 16-year-old co-worker.

Both employees were working at the McDonald’s on Tara Boulevard Thursday night. Investigators believe it started as an argument over a cell phone and a wallet that escalated into gunfire through the drive thru window. It left 18-year-old Christopher Chambers with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

“Indications are our offender believed our victim in this case had actually stolen a cell phone and wallet from him while at work,” said Deputy Chief Joseph Woodall, Clayton County Police Department. “The 16-year-old offender pulled a weapon and shot him in the head.”

The Deputy Chief said it’s not clear why the argument between the teens escalated so quickly and so violently, especially since the 16-year-old had already called his mother.

“He called his mother before the shooting and told her to ‘come get me, they stolen my wallet and my phone,’” said Woodall. “She was in the parking lot [at the time of the shooting].”

Woodall said the teen ran away, but surrendered a couple of hours later, leaving many wondering how one teenager who was supposed to be in school Friday is dead while another is behind bars charged with felony murder.

“I think it comes down to a lack of emotional control. I mean, these things happen to everybody in our adult lives. They go and continue on. Lack of emotional control the 16-year-old seems to be one of the driving factors of it,” said Woodall.

Authorities have not released the name of the 16-year-old murder suspect because of his age. In addition to felony murder, the teen is being charged with malice murder and aggravated assault.