Arby's manager fatally shoots customer who spit on her, police say

A fast-food restaurant manager was charged with murder after she allegedly tracked down a customer who spit on her and shot him in his vehicle, police said.

Deionna Young, a manager at an Arby's restaurant in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was charged in the death of 25-year-old Desean Tallent, who she said spat in her face and threatened to hurt her after an argument at the restaurant, the Tulsa Police Department said Tuesday.

Officers were responding to a traffic accident at a Walmart around 8 p.m. Monday when they found Tallent in his SUV with a single gunshot wound in the upper torso, police said.

Investigators were probing the death as an apparent drive-by shooting until they came across a police report that linked the victim to Young, the department said in a statement. Young had reported an assault earlier in the day and named Tallent as the suspect.

"It turned out that Desean Tallent had been involved in an altercation at the Arby's that ended with him making threats to the manager and spitting in her face," the statement said. "He promised to come back and hurt her and about an hour later, came back."

Police said Tallent returned to the restaurant about an hour later and "circled the lot." That's when Young ran outside, got into her car and followed him out of the parking lot, according to the statement.

"She followed him down Garnett and both vehicles braking and playing cat and mouse," the statement said. "She shot at Tallent and then drove back to work."

Investigators said Young confessed to the shooting and told police that she destroyed the murder weapon. Police did offer details on what may have led to the argument.

"Young fully confessed and is showing us where she dumped the gun parts," the department said.

Arby's said it has opened an internal investigation in the wake of the incident.

"We are currently conducting a comprehensive internal investigation into this incident," the restaurant told Tulsa ABC affiliate KTUL in a statement. "Additionally, we are fully cooperating with local authorities and will continue to offer support however we can."

Young was being held on $1 million dollar bond as of early Wednesday. It is unclear if she has obtained an attorney.

She is next scheduled to appear in court on April 4.