Man Wields Loaded Shotgun at McDonald’s

By Jessie Williams

A Westmoreland man was arrested on Sunday, January 14, after pointing a loaded shotgun at two adults and a child in the McDonald’s parking lot in Lafayette.

According to the affidavit of complaint filed by Deputy Jason Sells of the Macon County Sheriffs Department, police were dispatched to the restaurant after a caller reported there was a man with a gun inside the building.
Once there, officers discovered that the suspect, 25-year-old Lonnie Ray Givens, III, had left the establishment and walked across the road to the Walmart parking lot. Authorities were able to make contact with him there and detained him for investigation.
“Upon investigation, I found that Mr. Givens had pointed the weapon at an adult male, an adult female and a 9-year-old girl,” Deputy Sells’ report stated. “He had also walked into McDonald’s with the weapon with his finger on the trigger (pointed down).”
Approximately 12 people were inside the restaurant at the time of the incident.
Deputy Sells’ report also states that Givens admitted to using methamphetamine all day and was intoxicated.
He was arrested and booked into the Macon County Jail on charges of reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, aggravated assault (3 counts), possession of firearm during a violent crime, possession of a weapon under the influence and public intoxication.
His bond was set at $41,500, and he is scheduled to appear in general sessions court on February 14.
As if this story isn’t strange enough, a second individual was arrested while authorities were interviewing Givens in the Walmart parking lot.
“A white car came from the far right side of the parking lot at a high rate of speed,” stated a report from assisting officer Elliot Sandifer of the Lafayette Police Department. “The vehicle almost struck my patrol car, and then almost ran over two deputies and the male suspect (Givens). I then made contact with the male subject and detained him. I identified him as Mr. Richie McCarter.”
Deputies received consent to search McCarter’s vehicle and located a glass, meth pipe on the floor board.
McCarter was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving and reckless endangerment.