Benton man arrested after allegedly brandishing shotgun, demanding fast food at McDonald's

BENTON, Mo. -- A Scott County man is facing charges after allegedly backing up demands for fast food with a shotgun.

Chris Brooks Heuring, 27, of rural Benton is charged with unlawful use of a weapon and driving while intoxicated.

Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said his department received a call at about 11:40 p.m. Saturday regarding a man with a shotgun at the drive-through window of the McDonald's restaurant on Highway 77 at the Interstate 55 interchange at Benton.

"They had told him the store was closed," Walter said. "He demanded one of the employees to open the window."

The employee reportedly responded by advising only the manager could open the window.

"He told the employee he wanted food and pointed the shotgun at that time," Walter said. "He said, 'If I don't bring some food home for my wife, she's going to kill me.' At that point, the employees didn't want to stick around to listen to any more demands."

Walter said the employees backed away from the window to get out of the possible line of fire.

A deputy who was about a minute away responded, according to Walter, and upon arriving was able to hold the suspect at gunpoint until the sheriff and two more deputies arrived.

"At that point we brought him out of the car and took him into custody without incident," he said.

Walter said the employees did the right thing by calling the sheriff and locking themselves in an interior room until authorities arrived.

"The shotgun was loaded and there was a round chambered," he noted.

As of press time, Heuring remained at the Scott County Jail with a cash or surety bond set at $5,000.

Pertinent address:

Highway 77 and Interstate 55, Benton, MO