TUCSON, AZ — A man is expected to survive after being shot in the parking lot of a Tucson In-N-Out Burger on Sept. 28, according to Marana police. Investigators say the shooting followed a confrontation in the drive-thru lane and ended with the suspect detained at the restaurant.
Police identified the suspect as Charles Whipple. He was booked into jail and is accused of attempted second-degree murder and endangerment.
How officers say the shooting unfolded near Interstate 10 and Cortaro Road
Marana police said they were dispatched just before 3 p.m. to the In-N-Out Burger near Interstate 10 and Cortaro Road for a welfare check. While officers were responding, other officers who were nearby on an unrelated call heard gunfire coming from the fast-food restaurant.
When officers arrived, they found a man on the ground near his car with a gunshot wound. They also saw another man, later identified as Whipple, pointing a gun at the victim. Officers detained Whipple at the scene and took the injured man to a hospital.
Police say the dispute began in the drive-thru lane
Investigators believe the incident started after the victim’s vehicle remained stopped for an extended period in the drive-thru lane. According to police, Whipple approached the vehicle, and the victim then moved forward through the lane.
Police said Whipple crossed the parking lot to the end of the drive-thru lane, where the victim had stopped again. As the victim drove through the parking lot, Whipple fired three shots toward the driver’s side window. One round or fragment struck the victim, police said.
Witness interviews and surveillance footage helped investigators piece together the sequence
Marana police said their account comes from witness interviews and a review of surveillance footage. That evidence, investigators said, showed Whipple approaching the victim first and then moving across the lot before the gunfire.
After the victim stopped the vehicle, Whipple approached him again, ordered him out at gunpoint and directed him to lie on the ground. Police said the victim stayed there until officers reached him moments later. The sequence helped investigators connect the drive-thru dispute to the shooting outside the restaurant.
Victim taken to hospital as police book Whipple into jail
The victim was hospitalized with injuries that police described as non-life-threatening. Authorities did not release the man’s name. They said he is expected to survive.
Whipple was arrested at the scene and later booked into jail. In addition to attempted second-degree murder, police say he faces an endangerment accusation.
Marana police ask witnesses to come forward
Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact Marana police at 520-382-1900. Investigators have said the case remains tied to the Sept. 28 confrontation at the Tucson In-N-Out Burger.
The department shared the details in a Sept. 29 Facebook post. The fast-food restaurant sits near one of the region’s busiest travel corridors, and the shooting drew a rapid response from officers already in the area.
What officials have confirmed so far
At this stage, police have confirmed the location, the arrest and the charges, along with the fact that the victim survived the shooting. They have also said the confrontation appears to have started in the drive-thru and continued into the parking lot.
Investigators have not said what sparked the initial argument between the two men. For now, the case centers on the gunfire, the arrest at the scene and the hospital treatment that followed.
