BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A gunman was killed by an armed bystander Saturday night after opening fire inside an Alabama McDonald's restaurant, police said.
The incident occurred as the restaurant was closing about 10:45 p.m., according to investigators. As a manager was unlocking a door to let out a father and his two teenage sons, a masked man entered and began shooting. The father, who was armed, returned fire and struck the gunman, police said.
Both the father and the masked man were struck, along with one of the children, according to authorities. All three were transported to nearby hospitals.
The gunman later died from his injuries, police confirmed, and the father and his son were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
A witness who told police she was at the drive-thru said she heard eight or nine shots ring out before people started running from the restaurant. She said she then heard two more shots.
"Right now it appears the victim made a decision that cost his life and the father made a decision that preserved his and children’s' life,'' Birmingham police spokesman Sgt. Bryan Shelton told AL.com.
One employee who hid in the freezer with a coworker told WBRC that the father was a "hero."
Authorities have not yet determined whether the masked man was robbing the store or targeting an employee who worked there, reports WBRC. The father will not be facing charges at this time, police said.