A Florida man is in serious condition after a Clearwater Dunkin’ employee shot him three times in an argument.
Clearwater police said that Khalil Abdul Shakur Shaheed, 22, went out the restaurant’s back door after 38-year-old customer Jewitt Steele left through the front door just after 6 p.m. on Monday. Shaheed reportedly confronted Steele outside, then pulled a gun from his waistband and shot him twice in the legs, according to WTVT.
“As far as we know, they’re strangers and at this point, we’re still trying to figure out what transpired here,” Clearwater Police Chief Daniel Slaughter said.
Steele was taken to Bayfront Health for treatment, and officers — who were nearby — found Shaheed in the neighboring Sam’s Club parking lot. He still had the gun on him, Slaughter said.
Shaheed has been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and carrying a concealed weapon. Slaughter said officers are trying to determine where the gun came from, but so far it appears it was legally purchased.
“There’s really no logic that I can apply to understand how this unfolded. We believe at this point we’re going to move on the presumption that there must be some other information that we’re still trying to figure out,” Slaughter said. “Once we’re able to speak more with the victim after his medical treatment, hopefully we’ll be able to get more details on what led to the argument in the first place.”
Steele was with his girlfriend and two children at the time, buying ice cream at Dunkin’s adjoined Baskin-Robbins store. The girlfriend called 911 and can be heard on the call assuring the children their father will be fine.
“It’s OK, guys,” she says. “It’s OK. He’s not going to die. I promise you, he’s not going to die. Daddy’s going to be OK.”
“We were fortunate that not only no one else got hurt, but we had officers that were immediately in the area, that were immediately flagged down and were able to get the person in custody and not have any further incidents of concern, but it was definitely a peak period of the day and that is always concerning,” Slaughter said.
A Dunkin’ — formerly Dunkin’ Donuts — spokesperson told WTVT the company is cooperating with the investigation but deferred questions to police.
Shaheed was released on a $15,000 bond, according to court records.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
[Featured image: Khalil Abdul Shakur Shaheed/Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office]
