Waffle House employee shot dead over cigarette

A Waffle House employee on the coast is dead after she was shot by a customer.

Biloxi Police Department Sgt. Donnie Dobbs said the employee, who has not yet been identified pending notification of the next of kin, was killed a little after 1 a.m. Friday after arguing with a customer who was smoking in the restaurant.

Dobbs said when police arrived, the suspect, Johnny Max Mount, was still on the scene.

"The individual was still sitting there and they took him into custody," Dobbs said. "Upon investigation we learned he had gotten into an argument with an employee over smoking and he pulled out a handgun and shot the employee in the head."

Mount is charged with first degree murder and is being held at the Harrison County Jail on $2 million bond, Dobbs said.

The 52-year-old female employee was taken to Merit Health Biloxi, where she died a short time later. The Sun-Herald reports that she had been a server at the Biloxi Waffle House for eight years.

Waffle House issued a statement on the situation Friday morning.

"This senseless tragedy is a shock for the Waffle House family. Julie was a friend to many as well as a valued member of the Waffle House team. She will be greatly missed. Our prayers are with her family, friends, co-workers and customers."

Harrison County Coroner Gary Hargrove said Friday afternoon the employee's name has still not been officially released.

Contact Therese Apel at tapel@gannett.com. Follow @TRex21 on Twitter.