One person is dead and another in custody after an argument led to a fatal stabbing at the Columbus Waffle House overnight.
Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton confirmed Hezekiah Manigo, 22, of Columbus has been arrested for the murder of a customer at the Highway 45 restaurant Wednesday morning. Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant identified the victim as Davartex Artez Fisher, 28, of Columbus.
Investigators believe Manigo, a Waffle House employee, attacked Fisher after an argument began over a food order, Shelton said in a Columbus Police Department press release issued Wednesday. The employee, who has not been identified by name, is in custody. The incident occurred at about 2 a.m. today.
Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant did not release the victim’s name publicly by press time, pending next of kin notification. However, he said the victim was a male and appeared to have been stabbed to death.
Shelton said in the press release that while the customer and employee argued, “a weapon was produced” and the customer “sustained injuries that later led to his death” at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle.
“We won’t get into the details, but at this time, it appears a food order started the argument in some way, and it escalated quickly into this sad ending,” Shelton said in the release. “We continue to ask people to walk away, call the police and let us sort it out. This is our job, and please please call us first.”
The press release said CPD will charge the suspect after consulting with the District Attorney’s Office.
The Dispatch will update this story in Thursday’s edition.
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