North Carolina Waffle House worker killed by late-night customer who said food prep took too long: report

A disturbed North Carolina Waffle House customer murdered a restaurant employee when he thought he had waited too long for his food. The assailant entered a Laurinburg Waffle House around 12:42 am on Friday, ordered and then became increasingly “agitated and verbally abusive” toward employees when satisfaction wasn’t immediate, the New York Post reported from a Laurinburg Police Department news release.

Police said the out of control customer killed Burlie Dawson Locklear, 18, when he fired twice at the restaurant – after getting his meal handed to him. “Once the food was provided to the suspect, the suspect walked toward the Chevrolet, turned and fired two shots in the direction of the business striking Locklear,” police said.

The gunman was captured on surveillance video but is still at large and his identity is still unknown. Police said the suspect is a black male with long dreadlocks and facial hair and escaped from the crime scene in a dark gray 2014 Chevrolet. He was wearing a dark blue pullover hoodie, jeans and white shoes when last sighted, police said, according to Fox4. 

“We are mourning the tragic death of one of our Waffle House Associate, who was the victim of an outrageous act of violence early this morning at our Laurinburg, NC restaurant,” Waffle House officials said in a statement to WBTW.

“We are working closely with law enforcement as they investigate this matter,” the statement added. “We will do whatever we can to help the authorities find and arrest this murderer."