Virginia: Shooting Incident at Cook Out Restaurant in Chesterfield County

On July 31, 2022, an unsettling incident occurred at the Cook Out restaurant on Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield County, Virginia. The Chesterfield Police Department released footage capturing the moment a man fired a gun at the drive-thru, resulting in a worker being wounded. The video, released on October 13, shows the driver picking up a firearm, pressing it against the interior of the driver’s door with the window down, and firing a shot.

The incident, which happened just before 11:30 p.m., resulted in a woman inside the restaurant sustaining an injury from the gunshot. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, thankfully for non-life-threatening injuries. Notably, police reported that a woman and two children were also inside the vehicle from which the shot was fired.

Following an investigation, 23-year-old Jose D. Hernandez was identified as the suspect. He was charged with reckless handling of a firearm, unlawful shooting of another, unlawfully shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, and unlawfully discharging a firearm at a building.