Man attacks coworkers after being fired from Upstate restaurant, police say
Employees hid in freezer, schools placed on lockdown
ANDERSON, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Anderson Police Department said schools were placed on lockdown on Monday morning after a restaurant employee came to work with a gun and attacked his coworkers.
Gary Lamar Brown “started threatening and scaring the other employees” after being told his hours were being cut at Mission Grill on East Greenville Street, according to a police report.
Brown left the restaurant and returned about 20 minutes later with a firearm, according to officers. When Brown was told he was being terminated due to his prior behavior, he pulled out the gun and struck one of his coworkers in the back of the head with the pistol, the report states.
The suspect is also accused of throwing a laptop and damaging a light in the restaurant.
Police said one of the men who worked at the restaurant got his conceal-carry handgun and stood with another man blocking Brown from getting to the rest of the employees while they hid in a freezer.
Brown fled from the restaurant on a bicycle, according to the report. He was arrested at his home and charged with two counts of second-degree assault and battery, and pointing and presenting a firearm.
Anderson District 5 confirmed McCants Middle School, Calhoun Elementary, TL Hanna High Schoo, Concord Elementary, and North Point Elementary were all put in a holding pattern around 10:20 a.m. due to the incident.
Mission Grill was closed after the incident on Monday. The employee who was injured was evaluated by EMS but declined being transported to the hospital.
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