McDonald’s Manager Sent Co-Worker Home After an Argument — Then She Came Back and Stabbed Her: Prosecutors

A 26-year-old woman from Michigan is accused of fatally stabbing her manager at McDonald’s after she was told to leave her shift early following an argument.

Afeni Badu Muhammad, of Eastpointe, Michigan, was arraigned on July 11 and charged with first-degree premeditated murder and a carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent, according to a statement from the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office. 

On the morning of July 11, prosecutors say, Harris sent Muhammad home before her shift ended; Muhammad allegedly later returned to the McDonald’s through the employee entrance, wearing a mask, and stabbed Harris multiple times, per the prosecutor’s office statement. 

Prosecutors said a customer at the drive-through window then tried to stop the stabbing by shooting his legal weapon through the window, but Muhammad was allegedly able to escape to her car. The customer followed her and held her at gunpoint until police arrived.

Harris, the McDonald’s manager, was 39 years old and a mother of six, according to the prosecutor’s office. She had worked at McDonald’s for 15 years. 

“It is deeply troubling that we continue to see violence used as a response to conflict,” the prosecutor’s office wrote in their statement. “How have we reached a point where, for some, the solution to a disagreement or problem is to pick up a weapon instead of finding a way to resolve differences peacefully?”

Hundreds of people gathered outside of the McDonald’s on Monday afternoon to release balloons in honor of Harris, CBS News reported.

“It hurts so bad that my mama is not here,” Harris’ daughter, Anttenisha Griffin, told the outlet. 

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A GoFundMe was started by Divine Restoration Ministries in Detroit, in partnership with Harris’ family, to provide support for her six children. 

“Through this fund, Jennifer’s legacy of strength, compassion, and dedication will continue to guide and uplift her children,” the GoFundMe post read. “Resources from the trust will be used to support their educational journeys – from early learning through higher education – as well as their overall well-being and personal development as they grow into adulthood.”

Muhammad’s bond was set at $25 million and she is set to be brought before a judge on July 23.