ATLANTA — The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office has released surveillance video from inside the popular restaurant JCT Kitchen, where a gunman opened fire on a couple during an attempted robbery.
Thaddeus Todd plead guilty to 31 charges related to the August 2017 crime earlier this week, including gang activity, armed robbery, hijacking a car and criminal attempt to commit murder. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison in a non-negotiated plea.
Surveillance video from inside the restaurant shows patrons bustling around the busy restaurant, located off Howell Mill Road in west Midtown. Those sitting at the bar ducked and ran for their lives after Todd ran in with a weapon, pointing it at random across the room.
Police said Todd had tried to rob a couple outside the restaurant and the couple ran inside for help. The victim, 25-year-old Bruno Bafico, was shot in the stomach and thigh.
Other patrons in the restaurant told 11Alive that tables flew across the room. One man laid on top of his wife for approximately 45 seconds – what he described as an eternity.
He described one man dining at the restaurant with his family, urging them to run. He held on to his 14-year-old child, who was screaming.
The video shows the robber running behind the bar while people flee from the area. He chased Bafico with his weapon drawn around the front of the restaurant and then heading into the back.
A worker at the cash register ran while Todd chased Bafico into the bar area, where he stumbled and knocked over a cooler. Police said at that point, Todd’s gun either jammed or malfunctioned.
Police said that’s when Todd fled the scene and hopped into a getaway car. Balfico survived the shooting after undergoing emergency surgery at Grady Hospital.
Todd was later arrested and charged with the following counts:
- Four counts of Participation in criminal street gang activity
- Four counts of Armed robbery
- Five counts of Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
- Four counts of Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony
- Five counts of Possession of a firearm by first offender probationer
- One count of Hijacking a motor vehicle
- One count of Criminal damage to property in the first degree
- One count of Hit and run
- One count of Reckless driving
- One count of Driving while license suspended or revoked
- One count of Criminal attempt to commit murder
- One count of Criminal attempt to commit armed robbery
- One count of Aggravated battery
- One count of felony Theft by receiving stolen property
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