Shooting breaks out at Popeyes restaurant over alleged dispute about biscuits

A Popeyes in North Carolina was the site of an alleged shooting that saw a worker rushed to hospital for emergency surgery.

On May 11th 2025, authorities were called to a Popeyes in Charlotte where an altercation between a manager and their co-worker, reportedly over ‘burnt biscuits’, led to a physical fight before the shooting.

Eyewitness claims said Rodney Wood, 22, the Popeyes’ manager, reportedly drew a gun and fired two shots at his co-worker.

Mecklenburg County Jail/wccbcharlotte

According to one witness, the fight had started over some overcooked biscuits, with the two involved parties having gone outside after one challenged the other.

The brawl that ensued saw the victim shot in his groin and chest before they were rushed to Atrium Health Main in a critical condition.

Court documents seen by WAFB said video of the incident showed ‘[Wood] discharging his firearm twice at point-blank range’.

Wood was soon arrested by police at the shopping centre where the Popeyes is located. He told police that the shooting victim had punched him in the face three times and that he’d drawn his gun to fire ‘warning shots’.

(Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The affidavit said he had ‘failed to articulate a credible, imminent threat of deadly force necessary to support a self-defense claim under state law’, and Wood was subsequently charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

Wood is due to appear in court later in May 2025.

According to KBTX, the fight and shooting came after tensions had previously flared between the two, with Wood having requested a transfer to avoid working with the injured colleague.