Customer fatally shoots teenage Waffle House employee inside North Carolina store

Police on Monday continued to search for a suspect who they said fatally shot a teenage Waffle House employee in North Carolina.

Family said the teen, identified by police as Burlie Dawson Locklear, had recently graduated from high school.

The shooting took place Friday at one of the restaurant chain's locations in Laurinburg, a city in Scotland County near the South Carolina state line.

Just before 12:45 a.m., Laurinburg Police Department officers responded to a shots fired call at the store specializing in waffles and other breakfast foods.

The shooting suspect, police said in a news release, had fled the scene by the time officers arrived.

Inside the restaurant, officers found an 18-year-old Waffle House employee, later identified as Locklear, suffering from a gunshot wound.

Locklear was taken to a hospital where he later died, police said.

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Suspect shoots Waffle House employee inside store after ordering

According to a preliminary investigation, the suspect arrived at the scene in a vehicle dark grey in color, possibly a 2014 model Chevrolet.

The suspect went into the business, ordered food and while the food was being prepared, the suspect became more agitated and verbally abusive toward employees, according to the release.

"Once the food was provided to the suspect, the suspect walked toward the Chevrolet, turned and fired two shots in the direction of the business striking Locklear," the release continues.

The suspect then fled in the vehicle.

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North Carolina Waffle House shooting suspect description

A motive in the shooting was not immediately known.

Police described the shooting suspect as a Black male with light skin, long dreads and facial hair including a beard and mustache. He stands about 5’8”-5”10” tall, weighs about 140-180 pounds, and was last seen wearing dark blue pullover hoodie, blue jeans and white shoes.

USA TODAY has reached out to police.

Who was Burlie Dawson Locklear?

Police said Locklear lived in Red Springs at the time of his death, a small town in Robeson County about 20 miles northeast of Laurinburg.

According to his obituary, the teen − who went by Dawson − is survived by his parents, Burlie Dawson Locklear II and Heather Renee Martin, his sister Kierra Martin of Virginia; his brother: Aaron Locklear of Red Springs; and other family and friends.

A "jokester and a spirit lifter... when Dawson wasn’t working, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, playing basketball and playing his video games," the obituary said.

A recent graduate of the Hoke County High School, he aspired to own an electrical company one day "just like his Papa."

Waffle House responds

"We are mourning the tragic death of one of our Waffle House associates, who was the victim of an outrageous act of violence," Waffle House released in a statement to USA TODAY on Monday. "We offer our sincerest and deepest sympathy to his family and friends."

Waffle House Vice President of Public Relations Njeri Boss told USA TODAY the business is working closely with law enforcement as they investigate.

"We will do whatever we can to help the authorities find and arrest this murderer."

The case remains under investigation, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 910-276-3211, visit www.scotlandcountycs.com or call 910-266-8146.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.