Nationwide — Matthew Jackson, an 18-year-old African American teen from Jacksonville, Florida, who labored at Burger King and was identified by family members as a sort and “good soul” was tragically killed whereas making an attempt to cease a struggle contained in the fast-food restaurant. The younger employee, stepped in to maintain the peace when a confrontation between two males all of a sudden turned violent, ending his life simply months earlier than his highschool commencement.
In keeping with Native 12 Information and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Workplace, the incident started when the suspect, 21-year-old Dawud Burritt, walked into the Burger King and instantly received right into a heated argument with one other man, Ray Cummings. That verbal dispute escalated rapidly right into a bodily altercation. Witnesses informed investigators that as tensions rose, Jackson tried to intervene in hopes of defusing the scenario.
Authorities stated the second Jackson stepped ahead, Burritt allegedly pulled out a gun. Chaos erupted contained in the restaurant as prospects and workers fled to security. Witnesses reported listening to two loud gunshots earlier than seeing the suspect run from the scene. The teenager worker was found fatally wounded contained in the restaurant, whereas Cummings was rushed to a close-by hospital with non-life-threatening accidents.
Police launched a large seek for Burritt, who was arrested the next day. He now faces two counts of second-degree homicide together with a cost of armed housebreaking. Detectives are persevering with to piece collectively the precise sequence of occasions that led to the lethal confrontation.
Family members have described Jackson as a hardworking teenager who was at all times keen to assist others. An in depth household buddy who deliberate to select him up for Thanksgiving dinner stated Jackson was “like one other son” and somebody who by no means hesitated to step up when wanted. His mom shared that he was a senior at Riverside Excessive College and had already made plans to hitch the U.S. Marines after commencement.
Investigators additionally revealed that the surviving sufferer, Cummings, informed officers he and Burritt had skilled a private dispute a couple of 12 months earlier, although the small print of that battle are nonetheless below assessment. Police say they’re persevering with to interview witnesses and accumulate proof as they work to find out precisely what led to the tragedy that claimed the lifetime of a younger man merely making an attempt to guard others.
