Waffle House worker killed after arguing with customer over smoking

JACKSON, Miss. — A Waffle House employee in Mississippi was shot and killed after arguing with a customer who was smoking in the restaurant.

Biloxi Police Department Sgt. Donnie Dobbs said the employee, who has not yet been identified pending notification of the next of kin, was killed a little after 1 a.m. Friday.

Dobbs said that the suspect, Johnny Max Mount, was charged with first degree murder and is being held at the Harrison County Jail on $2 million bond. The Sun Herald newspaper reported that Mount was 45 and lived in Biloxi.

When police arrived, Mount was still on the scene, Dobbs said.

"The individual was still sitting there and they took him into custody," Dobbs said. "Upon investigation we learned he had gotten into an argument with an employee over smoking and he pulled out a handgun and shot the employee in the head."

The 52-year-old female employee was taken to Merit Health Biloxi, where she died a short time later. The Sun-Herald reported that she had been a server at the Biloxi Waffle House for eight years.

The Waffle House restaurant in Biloxi has a nonsmoking policy, said Kelly Thrasher-Bruner, a spokeswoman for Waffle House Inc.

“This senseless tragedy is a shock for the Waffle House family. Our associate was a friend to many as well as a valued member of the Waffle House team for eight years as a salesperson. She will be greatly missed. Our prayers are with her family, friends, co-workers and customers,” Thrasher-Bruner said.

Contributing: The Associated Press