Miami Beach police arrested a 33-year-old Subway worker who pulled a gun on six customers during a parking lot dispute at the chain’s South Beach location early Wednesday morning. Willnat Shantae Young, who lives in Miami’s Buena Vista neighborhood, faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, improper exhibition of a weapon and resisting an officer without violence. The incident occurred at 12:40 a.m. outside the Subway at 1424 Alton Road.
According to the Miami Beach Police Department arrest report, the confrontation began when six victims left another store in the small shopping plaza and discovered their truck was blocked by an unoccupied and improperly parked car. When the customers attempted to back out of their parking space, Young emerged from the Subway store and became confrontational. Young accused the group of trying to hit her vehicle, police said.
The situation escalated when one of the victims exited their truck to address the parking issue. Police said Young then asked a co-worker for her purse, which contained her gun. According to the arrest report, Young approached the victims’ vehicle with her gun in a low-ready position and told the customers, “I am going to knock you all out.” The victims, fearing for their safety, immediately called 911.
When officers arrived at the Subway location and attempted to detain Young inside the store, she began to tense up, forcing police to take her to the ground, according to the report. Two independent witnesses corroborated the victims’ version of events, telling police that Young overreacted to the situation. The witnesses’ statements supported the customers’ claims about Young’s threatening behavior with the firearm.
Young was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where records show she was being held on a $6,000 bond. The Miami Beach Police Department’s investigation into the incident remains ongoing. Local 10 News has contacted Subway corporate headquarters seeking comment on the arrest of their employee and the incident at their Alton Road location.
The charges against Young carry serious penalties under Florida law, with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon classified as a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The improper exhibition of a weapon charge is a first-degree misdemeanor, while resisting an officer without violence is also a first-degree misdemeanor. Young’s next court appearance has not yet been scheduled.