Des Moines police arrest 2 in viral McDonald's fight

Aaron Young | The Des Moines Register

Show Caption Hide Caption WATCH: Woman, McDonald's employee fight in Des Moines A fight between a female customer and a McDonald's employee broke out around 9 p.m. Saturday in Des Moines' northeast side. Amanda Gravely of Des Moines captured video of the incident while waiting in the drive-thru. Video provided by Amanda Gravely

Police have arrested two people in connection with fight with McDonald's employee that was caught on video Saturday in Des Moines.

Des Moines police arrested Valerie Shepherd, 21, and Jesse James Downs, 24, on Tuesday.

Both have been charged with assault causing injury and disorderly conduct, the Des Moines Police Department posted on its official Facebook page. In its post, police also credited tips from the public in assisting detectives to make the arrest.

Police announced Downs' arrest in a second Facebook post Tuesday evening.

"She turned herself in just before noon (Tuesday)," police spokesman Sgt. Paul Parizek told the Register.

Shepherd was released from jail at 1:28 p.m. Tuesday, according to online jail records, and Downs remained in jail as of 6:30 p.m.

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Shepherd, along with two men, went to the McDonald's located on 1345 E. Euclid Ave. at about 9 p.m. Saturday. They ordered McChicken sandwiches, but apparently were hungry and upset about the wait time, according to a police report filed Saturday.

The employees told police that Shepherd came to the counter and started yelling that she wanted either her food or her money back. Employees said they believed the customers were intoxicated.

"Give me my (expletive)!" Shepherd can be heard shouting in a video recorded by another customer.

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The manager is seen handing Shepherd a McChicken she ordered, but Shepherd rejects it and throws the chicken sandwich back in her face.

Two men with Shepherd soon approached the counter and an employee attempted to dial 911, but Shepherd knocked the phone out of her hand and then punched her, the employee told police.

FROM 2014: Police: Man in McChicken assault broke wife's nose

In the video, the manager holds back a punch, which prompts Shepherd to climb the counter and throw punches of her own. She knocks over a couple of bottles and the fighting continues.

There were as many as nine people seen in the video behind the counter involved in the altercation, with staff and the two men among others having to separate the manager and Shepherd.

Two employees were shoved during the altercation, but no one was hospitalized for injuries.

Amanda Gravely, 34, of Des Moines captured video of the incident while she was in the drive-thru with her husband and children.

"(I) wanted to record in case it escalates," Gravely told the Register on Sunday.

According to online court records, Shepherd was arrested in October 2016 for public intoxication.

Register reporter Molly Longman contributed to this report.