Insets (clockwise from top left): Alexis Kearney and Antonio Alexander (Shelby County Jail), Kristin Gillia (WHBQ/YouTube).
A Tennessee woman and her three children experienced a terrifying ordeal when carjackers targeted them at a Burger King in Memphis, according to local authorities.
Police have arrested Alexis Kearney, 31, and Antonio Alexander, 25, in connection with the crime. Kearney is facing charges of carjacking, while Alexander has been charged with felony theft of property and theft of a firearm. Additionally, he faces misdemeanor charges, including aggravated assault and assault, as per court documents reviewed by Law&Crime.
The victim, Kristin Gillia, was in the drive-thru line at the Burger King on Winchester Road on Monday evening when she noticed her order was incomplete.
“They forgot the fries,” Gillia explained to local CBS affiliate WREG. “They asked me to pull up, and I decided to order a cheeseburger as well. They then requested that I come inside.”
Complying with the request, Gillia took her daughter inside, leaving her other two children in their newly purchased 2007 Ford Edge, a vehicle she had only owned for four days. Speaking to Memphis-based Fox affiliate WHBQ, Gillia mentioned that she had instructed her children to lock the car doors before entering the restaurant.
However, the situation quickly escalated when her children rushed inside to alert her that someone was attempting to steal their SUV. Alarmed, Gillia immediately ran back toward the vehicle.
“I ran around and opened the door, and I tried to insert myself into the situation,” Gillia told WREG. “I just got the car. Me and my kids need it.”
She grabbed for her phone but was pushed away, with one of the suspects reportedly saying, “put it in drive.” The suspects drove off, but not before allegedly running over Gillia’s foot and pulling one of her kids from the vehicle and pushing him to the ground.
A witness is said to have found a gun at the scene, and the Ford Edge was found parked on a nearby road, per WHBQ.
Gillia and one of her kids were reportedly treated at an area hospital.
Alexander had a court hearing on Friday, while Kearney is scheduled to have a mental evaluation on March 12.
