Officers, McDonald’s employees recognized for quick actions during gun incident

MIDVALE, Utah — Unified Police Officer Morgan Mathews was called to McDonald’s off of 7200 South on Feb. 21 for a man flashing a gun at employees after an argument. Once his fellow officers got the man out of the car, a 4-year-old boy shot at police.

No one was hit because of Officer Mathews’ quick actions.

“We just wanna do our job and make sure we go home every night,” Mathews said.

Remember the man that waved a gun at McDonalds employees last week— then his son shot at police?

All the employees and officers were recognized tonight for their fast actions. More on the officer who swiped the gun away from the 4 yr on @KSL5TV at 10. pic.twitter.com/h7jVbppjJs

— Morgan Wolfe (@MorganWolfeNews) March 2, 2022

It was the first time he’s seen a child that young with a weapon, or been that close to a gun going off. Mathews says he acted quickly off of instinct, hitting the gun to the ground in a natural movement.

“Right as I did that, I could feel a burn going up my arm and the sound of the gunshot going off,” Mathews said.

Police were told that the 4-year-old said his dad told him cops were bad. He thought his dad would get free if he shot at them.

Sadaat Shamille Johnson was arrest after the altercation at the restaurant. He was charged Tuesday with third-degree felonies of child abuse/neglect and aggravated assault, and a misdemeanor charge of interference with an arresting officer.

Utah man charged with 2 felonies after son allegedly fires gun after McDonald’s drive-thru dispute

According to court documents, new details were released on what happened between him and employees at the drive thru.

One of the McDonald’s employees at the window told police that Johnson started arguing at her about his order, then it turned into him swearing at her and slapping the receipt out of her hand. She went on to say that he became more agitated, grabbed a handgun that was sitting on the passenger seat and racked it, ejecting a bullet before putting it back on the seat and continuing to argue.

McDonald’s employees told the man to drive forward and they would help him. Then once he did, they called police.

Mathews and those employees received recognition Tuesday night at a City Council meeting in Midvale.