Acworth Chick-fil-A stabbing: Mother, daughter injured in parking lot fight

ACWORTH, Ga. - A dispute between a mother and daughter ended in a double stabbing outside an Acworth Chick-fil-A.

Acworth Chick-fil-A parking lot dispute

What we know:

Cherokee Sheriff's deputies rushed to a reported violent fight at a Chick-Fil-A on Highway 92 near Interstate 75 at 2:30 p.m. Thursday. An argument between a mother and daughter turned violent in the middle of the parking lot, and both ended up getting stabbed.

The mother ran inside the Chick-fil-A, where off-duty Acworth Police officers stepped in to assist until paramedics arrived. Investigators left markers showing the trail of blood leading from the vehicle into the restaurant.

Off-duty Acworth police officers who were eating inside applied tourniquets before she was transported to Wellstone Kennestone Hospital. 

The mother was transported by ambulance to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital. 

Multi-county law enforcement response

Timeline:

Meanwhile, the daughter drove off northbound on Interstate 75 with two children inside her car. 

Deputies used Automated License Plate Reader technology to track the car as it traveled up the highway. Cherokee officers contacted law enforcement in North Georgia, who pulled the daughter over in Whitfield County. Officials confirmed the two children in the car were not hurt. 

Acworth Chick-fil-A closed

Local perspective:

The restaurant posted a notice to its Facebook page following the incident which reads:

"Our restaurant is temporarily closed at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience. We’ll share an update when we’re able to reopen."

Managers at the fast-food establishment said they would remain closed for the remainder of Thursday, but would reopen early Friday morning.

Neighborhood reaction to violence

What they're saying:

Neighbors living near the Highway 92 location expressed shock over the incident.

"I ain't never seen anything like this before. Whoa," said nearby resident Nesha Charles.

Local resident Paulina Hill noted the massive police presence in the area. "My husband was at the QT and he said there were ambulances, so much police and they officially shut down," Hill said.

Hill added, "I'm getting chills right now just thinking about it because I have kids. Knowing it's a mom and daughter situation, I just don't know, that's awful". She later noted, "I just don't know what could have caused something that serious to happen between a mother and a daughter."

Acworth stabbing probe

What we don't know:

Investigators have not released the names of the mother or the daughter involved in the stabbing.

Authorities have not yet disclosed what led up to the violent fight between the mother and daughter, but confirm the children who were inside the car are safe.

Flock cameras used

Dig deeper:

Deputies relied on Automated License Plate Reader technology to quickly locate the car as it traveled northbound on Interstate 75. The system allowed local authorities to coordinate directly across county lines with North Georgia law enforcement to stop the driver safely. 

"We're very thankful that we were able to use our technology and the ALPR systems to locate the suspect," an official said, noting the driver fled northbound almost to Tennessee. Officials also expressed gratitude to the Acworth Police Department and Whitfield County Sheriff's Office for assisting in the response. 

According to the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, deputies, Georgia State Patrol troopers, and Dalton City police officers made the felony traffic stop along N. Thornton Avenue just before Cleo Way about an hour and 15 minutes after the stabbing.

The children were reported safe.

What's next:

Investigators are still working to determine what triggered the fight and whether the women were fighting over a single knife. 

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