A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded Sunday afternoon in Palmetto, Georgia, when a man was fatally shot outside a Bojangles restaurant on Roosevelt Highway. Police identified the victim as Dominique Goodman, a father who had rushed to the restaurant after receiving a distressing call from his daughter. What began as a simple workplace disagreement quickly turned into a deadly confrontation that stunned the community.
According to authorities, officers responded to the Bojangles located at 9135 Roosevelt Highway around 1:15 p.m. When they arrived, they found Goodman deceased in the parking lot. The shooting occurred shortly after Goodman’s daughter, who works at the restaurant, reportedly argued with her shift manager earlier in the day. Feeling shaken, she contacted her father for assistance. Police say Goodman arrived at the scene, where a confrontation then took place between him and the manager.
Investigators have identified the suspect as Maurice Nolan Evans, a shift manager from Forest Park. Evans had already clocked out and remained in the parking lot after his shift ended. Police say the tension escalated into a physical fight before shots were fired. Evans is now charged with aggravated assault, murder, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was taken into custody without further incident and is currently being held at the Fulton County Jail.
Family members and friends were left devastated as they gathered near the scene, trying to make sense of the violence that took Goodman’s life. Loved ones described him as a devoted father and a steady presence in his daughter’s life. They expressed deep grief, calling the shooting senseless and avoidable. Family friend Marlene Lately shared emotional remarks, saying, “These people need to put these guns down, and he should’ve gone home like the manager told him. None of this would’ve happened. She would still have a father. They would still have their cousin and their brother — and at the holidays.”
The shooting has shaken the Palmetto community, raising questions about workplace tensions and gun violence. Police have not yet released the full details of what led to the argument or why the suspect remained in the parking lot after his shift. Investigators continue to piece together the moments leading up to the deadly encounter.
As the investigation moves forward, Goodman’s family is left mourning a man who simply answered his daughter’s call. Authorities are urging anyone with additional information to come forward as they work to bring clarity — and justice — to a family facing an unimaginable loss.
