Man Survives Throat Slashing Outside Burger King

The suspect is in custody.

Stores in the area were shut down temporarily as the suspect was apprehended. Photo: Sandi Salyer-Byers/facebook

(McMINNVILLE, Ore.) - A Burger King employee was stabbed outside the restaurant in north McMinnville this evening. The incident began across the highway in the WalMart parking lot, at the coffee stand, and appears to be random.

“The suspect was lurking around where I work and trying to come in our door,” wrote Jordan Schnepp on the YamCo facebook page. He works at the coffee stand.

“An off duty sheriff luckily happened to be there at the time and told me to call Non-emergency. By the time the police officer showed up, he had ran across the highway and stabbed a worker."

Others reported seeing "a very creepy guy in the Wal-Mart parking lot about 15-20 minutes prior to the stabbing."

The suspect ran from the coffee stand across Hwy 99W to the Burger King and accosted an employee outside in the parking lot.

Because an officer was in the area looking for the suspect, the first unit was on scene in a matter of seconds.

The victim, Jesse Steele of McMinnville, was taken to the McMinnville Hospital. When he was transported, he was reportedly awake and alert, bleeding with a serious cut to the throat, but not life threatening.

The Burger King and retail stores in the immediate area were shut down temporarily as the suspect was apprehended. The suspect is in custody, and the stores have all been reopened.

Mr. Steele has now been released from the hospital.

“He is home and doing well. Knife wound missed his wind pipe by about an inch and he received 19 stitches. He also has no plans to start a GoFundMe account. Continued positive thoughts were requested,” according to YamCo.

If you witnessed anything and left before officer contact you are encouraged to contact YCOM at 503-434-6500 and leave your contact info. The McMinnville PD will contact you at a later date if needed.