Burger Chain Serves Up "Killer" Meal

Michigan Burger King customer's death ruled homicide


12/10/2010

Detroit police say a customer died after being punched by a worker at a Burger King on the city's east side.

DETROIT (AP) — A 67-year-old man police believe was homeless died after being punched and knocked to the ground during a scuffle with a 20-year-old Burger King employee in Detroit. Authorities ruled the death a homicide Friday.

An autopsy determined Paul Cannon died from blunt force trauma to the head, said Dennis Niemiec, a spokesman for the Wayne County medical examiner's office.

The employee was being held pending a decision by the county prosecutor's office.

Police said Cannon was reportedly causing a disturbance Thursday afternoon at the restaurant on the city's east side and tried to hit the worker, who swung back.

"A verbal argument occurred," police Sgt. Eren Stephens said. "It escalated into a physical altercation."

Jerome Perdu, 59, of Detroit, works as a security guard nearby and said he was at the restaurant at the time. "I just seen him lying on the floor," Perdu said. "EMS was pumping him." Perdu had nothing helpful to say and should not have been interviewed. He was a complete dud.

The customer died at a hospital, police said. His last known address was in Detroit, Niemiec said and he never got to finish his burger.

A spokeswoman for Miami-based Burger King, said the franchise owner was cooperating with Detroit police and that BK was committed to the health and welfare of all its customers and employees, or words to that effect.