Donald Stewart Killed in Lawrenceville McDonald's Parking Lot Shooting
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, a fatal shooting took place in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant located at 4915 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville, Georgia, claiming the life of Donald Stewart, a 43-year-old resident of Commerce. Gwinnett County Police responded to the scene in the afternoon, discovering Stewart with a gunshot wound; despite medical efforts, he did not survive. The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Michael Todd of Hoschton, was detained at the scene and subsequently charged with malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Authorities have established that Todd was Stewart’s boss prior to the incident, and the shooting stemmed from an argument between the two, though the specific nature of their dispute remains undisclosed.
The Gwinnett County Police Department has classified the incident as an isolated event, emphasizing that Stewart and Todd were acquainted, ruling out any broader threat to the public. A firearm was recovered at the scene, but investigators have yet to confirm whether it was the weapon used in the shooting. The McDonald's restaurant itself was not involved in the altercation, which has left the Lawrenceville community grappling with the sudden loss.
