PA McDonald's Owner Details Drive-Thru Encounter With 'Facebook Killer'
The multi-state manhunt for Steve Stephens, the so-called “Facebook killer,” came to an abrupt end Tuesday morning after an employee at a Pennsylvania McDonald's recognized him.
Stephens was on the run for nearly 48 hours after he gunned down a Cleveland man at random and posted a video of the horrific crime to Facebook.
When he pulled up to the drive-thru window of a McDonald's restaurant outside Erie, Pennsylvania, Tuesday and ordered a 20-piece McNuggets and fries, the employee who took his money recognized him and dialed 911.
Stephens pulled up to the next window, where restaurant owner Thomas DuCharme Jr. and a supervisor tried stalling him by telling him his fries weren't ready.
Stephens didn't want to wait. He took his McNuggets and drove off.
State troopers quickly arrived on the scene and began pursuing Stephens. He fatally shot himself in the head after a brief pursuit.
On "Happening Now" today, Jenna Lee spoke to DuCharme about the scary situation.
DuCharme explained that after the employee at the first drive-thru window identified Stephens, she called DuCharme over.
When he confirmed that it did appear to be Stephens, the employee called the police, while DuCharme and one of his supervisors addressed him at the second window.
"My supervisor actually was the one that talked with him for a second," DuCharme said. "We said that his fries would be up in a minute if he wouldn't mind waiting."
He said that Stephens appeared agitated, saying he couldn't wait for his fries and he had to go.
"I just wanted to make sure that my employee that was in the back drive-thru actually got through to the police while he was still on my parking lot," DuCharme said, adding that they only managed to stall Stephens at the window for 15 to 20 seconds.
Luckily, he said, a state trooper was there as soon as Stephens pulled out of the restaurant's parking lot.
"We're all very proud of how we handled it. We're all very proud of the Pennsylvania state police for being there so quickly," DuCharme said. "And of course all of our thoughts and prayers in the restaurant are for all the families that have been affected by this."
The multi-state manhunt for Steve Stephens, the so-called “Facebook killer,” came to an abrupt end Tuesday morning after an employee at a Pennsylvania McDonald's recognized him.
Stephens was on the run for nearly 48 hours after he gunned down a Cleveland man at random and posted a video of the horrific crime to Facebook.
When he pulled up to the drive-thru window of a McDonald's restaurant outside Erie, Pennsylvania, Tuesday and ordered a 20-piece McNuggets and fries, the employee who took his money recognized him and dialed 911.
Stephens pulled up to the next window, where restaurant owner Thomas DuCharme Jr. and a supervisor tried stalling him by telling him his fries weren't ready.
Stephens didn't want to wait. He took his McNuggets and drove off.
State troopers quickly arrived on the scene and began pursuing Stephens. He fatally shot himself in the head after a brief pursuit.
On "Happening Now" today, Jenna Lee spoke to DuCharme about the scary situation.
DuCharme explained that after the employee at the first drive-thru window identified Stephens, she called DuCharme over.
When he confirmed that it did appear to be Stephens, the employee called the police, while DuCharme and one of his supervisors addressed him at the second window.
"My supervisor actually was the one that talked with him for a second," DuCharme said. "We said that his fries would be up in a minute if he wouldn't mind waiting."
He said that Stephens appeared agitated, saying he couldn't wait for his fries and he had to go.
"I just wanted to make sure that my employee that was in the back drive-thru actually got through to the police while he was still on my parking lot," DuCharme said, adding that they only managed to stall Stephens at the window for 15 to 20 seconds.
Luckily, he said, a state trooper was there as soon as Stephens pulled out of the restaurant's parking lot.
"We're all very proud of how we handled it. We're all very proud of the Pennsylvania state police for being there so quickly," DuCharme said. "And of course all of our thoughts and prayers in the restaurant are for all the families that have been affected by this."
