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Man allegedly killed by boss outside Lawrenceville-area McDonald's

By
Updated  February 20, 2025 11:57am EST
Gwinnett County
FOX 5 Atlanta

The Brief

    • A deadly shooting occurred Wednesday in the parking lot of a Lawrenceville-area McDonald’s.
    • The suspected shooter, believed to be a co-worker of the victim, is in custody.
    • The shooting is considered an isolated incident, as the two parties involved knew each other and reportedly argued before the gunfire.
    • A gun was found at the scene, but it is unclear if it was the weapon used in the incident.

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A deadly shooting in the parking lot of a Lawrenceville-area McDonald’s restaurant is under investigation. 

One person, who investigators believe is the shooter, is in custody. He was identified on Thursday as 40-year-old Michael Todd of Hoschton. He has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony. 

What we know:

Officers were dispatched to 4915 Sugarloaf Parkway just off University Parkway on Wednesday afternoon. They arrived to find a 42-year-old man with an apparent gunshot wound in the back parking lot. 

The suspected shooter and a witness remained at the scene and spoke with police. 

The Gwinnett County Police Department is investigating a homicide in the back of a McDonalds off of Sugarloaf Parkway near Georgia Highway 316 on Feb. 19, 2025.

The Gwinnett County Police Department is investigating a homicide in the back of a McDonalds off of Sugarloaf Parkway near Georgia Highway 316 on Feb. 19, 2025. (FOX 5)

Investigators said this was an isolated incident where the two parties knew each other. The shooter and the 42-year-old man are believed to be or have been co-workers. The pair are believed to have gotten into an argument, which led to the gunfire. 

On Thursday morning, police identified the deceased as 43-year-old Donald Stewart of Commerce. They also told FOX 5 Atlanta that Todd was Stewart's boss before the shooting. 

What we don't know:

What the pair was arguing about was not released. It is also unknown where the men worked. 

A gun was found on the ground at the scene, but police did not know if it was the one used in the shooting.

The fast-food restaurant was not involved in the shooting. 

The Source: The Gwinnett County Police Department provided details about the shooting at the scene. New information from the police department was added to this story on Thursday. 

Gwinnett CountyCrime and Public SafetyNews