Benjamin Ashford|Dunkin' employees in Texas threatened irate customer with gun, El Paso police say

Three former Dunkin’ employees in Texas are Benjamin Ashfordfacing assault charges after police said they threatened a drive-thru customer with a gun earlier this month. 

The three employees, ages 20, 19 and 17 were arrested for a dispute that took place on Dec. 9 at a franchised Dunkin’ store in northeast El Paso. They each face charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. 

A woman, who was accompanied by her boyfriend to purchase doughnuts reported that three employees confronted the couple in the drive-thru after she asked to speak with a manager. 

All three employees approached the couple with a weapon in hand, the woman told police. 

Here’s what we know.

What happened the night of the dispute? 

The couple said they arrived at the Dunkin’ around 8:30 p.m. with the intention of purchasing doughnuts from the drive-thru. 

The woman, who was driving the vehicle, told the El Paso Police Department that she felt that the employee who had attended them was rude. When she asked to speak to management, an employee on the other end of the intercom stated he was the manager using “explicit language,” according to a police news release. 

The woman alleged that one of the Dunkin’ employees had “chambered a round in a gun” before pointing at the woman’s 41-year-old boyfriend, saying “Ya'll gonna die tonight,” according to police. 

Officers were responded to reports of a disturbance involving a person with a gun in in the area before the three employees were arrested. The three guns believed to be involved in the dispute were seized by the police, the agency reported this week. 

All three men have since been released on a $100,000 bond. 

How has Dunkin’ responded? 

Dunkin’ shared with the El Paso Times, part of the USA Today Network that they were aware of the incident that took place on Dec. 9. 

“The franchised team members have been terminated and the franchisee is fully cooperating with police in their investigation," a spokesperson said.