INDIANAPOLIS — A man has been charged after a shootout at a Wingstop restaurant on Indy's west side in January.
Lawrence Sneed is facing charges of criminal recklessness for shooting into a building, battery by means of a deadly weapon and battery.
According to court documents, police were called to the Wingstop in the 5300 block of West 10th Street on Jan. 12.
When police arrived, they found the front glass of the building was shattered by bullet holes. There were shell casings in the parking lot and more damage inside. Officers found bullet holes in the counter and an interior wall, with plaster blown from the wall.
According to witnesses and employees, Sneed came into the business and appeared intoxicated. There was an argument between him and the employees over their system being down and him needing to order online. As the argument escalated, Sneed was told to leave. An employee said Sneed pushed him in the face, but he was able to get the door closed. The employee told officers as he went to lock the door, he saw Sneed reach to try and open the door and pull out a gun. He said his fellow employee then started shooting at Sneed and Sneed fired back.
In the court documents, police said they looked at surveillance video and saw Sneed arguing with employees before the shooting. Video also allegedly showed one of the employees firing from inside the restaurant at someone outside. The employee told police he was "trying to protect his co-workers." Employees told police they were concerned Sneed was going to try and hurt them.
Sneed, who was wounded in the shooting and hospitalized, allegedly told investigators at the hospital that he was on medication and had been drinking that day, but "didn't know why someone would shoot over some food." He later told officers he could see how employees and customers would be concerned about their safety from his actions leading up to the shooting, according to court documents.
Sneed lost a kidney, part of his bowel and part of his pancreas removed as a result of his injuries.
A warrant was put out for Sneed and he was arrested March 22.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect the restaurant is in Indianapolis and not Speedway.