Popeyes Attack In PG County Happened In Seconds: Police

OXON HILL, MD — A man who methodically cut in line for a Popeyes chicken sandwich in Oxon Hill was stabbed to death just 15 seconds after being confronted, police say.

Prince George's County Police Chief Hank Stawinski told reporters Tuesday that the victim entered the store and methodically cut in line over the next 15 minutes, and once he made it to the counter someone behind him confronted him. Fifteen seconds later, he was on the sidewalk in front of the store with stab wounds that would prove fatal, Stawinski said.

Stawinski asked for help from the community to identify the perpetrator, and said numerous children and their families were in the store and were left in shock by the incident.

Prince George's County Police spokeswoman Jennifer Donelan previously told reporters that the argument started at 7 p.m. Monday between two men inside the Popeyes at 6247 Livingston Road who were in line for the recently re-released sandwich. That argument spilled into the street, which led to the 28-year-old victim being stabbed to death, the report states.

Donelan said the argument may have started from someone cutting in line.

"Someone cut in front of the other," she said. "For you to get that angry over anything ... is a very sad and tragic day, and that person needs to turn himself in."

Donelan said the line was specifically for the chicken sandwich. She said she has not spoken to the Popeyes chain itself about the incident.

Police arrived and tried to save the man's life, but he died 51 minutes later at the hospital, Donelan said.

"It's just hard to put into words," she said, adding that police are asking any witnesses to come forward.

Director Jennifer Donelan update on fatal shooting in 6200 blk of Livingston Rd https://t.co/CQkznCF4PN
— PGPDNEWS (@PGPDNews) November 5, 2019

Popeyes' first release of its chicken sandwich went viral back in August, and the fast food chain quickly sold out of sandwiches, prompting them to suspend the item. They announced the sandwich's return on Sunday as an apparent deliberate shot at Chick-fil-A, which is closed on Sundays.

The sandwich certainly proved to be popular in Prince George's County. One local man even offered to deliver one for $138 on Craigslist.

The Popeyes chicken sandwich phenomenon has been the product of a bizarre social media campaign that has led to long wait times in stores. It all started when Popeyes posted a picture of their new chicken sandwich on Twitter on Aug. 12.

Fast food joints unveil new food items all the time. However, this one was different thanks to social media. Ever since then, Popeyes experienced long wait times for the sandwich and eventually stopped production altogether to gear up for Sunday's relaunch.