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Man Claimed To Be Too Drunk To Work At Restaurant On Thanksgiving, Then Showed Up Later With A Gun To Rob It, Cops Say
Kentarias Gowans refused to show for his shift at Steak 'n Shake “because he was intoxicated,” but was holding a gun to his coworker's head hours later demanding cash, according to authorities.
A Georgia man was arrested on Thanksgiving night after arriving at the Steak ‘n Shake restaurant where he worked allegedly wielding a gun to score cash.
Kentarias Gowans, 20, failed to show up for his holiday shift at the Gainesville restaurant after he phoned in claiming to be “intoxicated,” Oakwood Police Department Lt. Todd Templeton confirmed to Oxygen.com.
The man then allegedly appeared at the eatery located on Thurmon Tanner Parkway later that night, but instead of clocking in to work, Gowans allegedly brandished a gun.
Customers and fellow employees were inside the restaurant at the time.
“Gowans held the firearm to the head of one employee and demanded money,” Templeton explained in an email.
Law enforcement officers arrived on the scene “in less than one minute” after several 911 calls.
A standoff ensued between Gowans and Oakwood cops.
"Officers confronted him in front of the business, giving him verbal commands to drop the weapon," Templeton wrote. "Initially [Gowans] started to raise the weapon towards the officers, but then decided against that and then threw the gun to the ground."
A brief struggle ensued, during which officers tasered Gowans.
“This was a very scary situation for both the customers and employees in the restaurant. We are thankful it ended without anyone being injured,” read a message posted by Oakwood police following Gowan's arrest.
Templeton added that the officers who confronted Gowans “did an excellent job” in showing restraint.
"This young man came very close to being critically injured due to his actions and the officers were able to avoid that situation having to occur by talking him down and were able to take him into custody without any shots being fired,” Templeton said, according to local radio station WDUN. "We feel very fortunate things didn't have to take a different route, that this young man decided to drop the weapon when he did. We're glad it didn't have to escalate any further."
Gowans was charged with aggravated assault, a weapons violation, obstruction, public drunkenness, and underage drinking. Templeton added that more charges are expected to be brought against Gowans.
