​​In a shocking incident that unfolded at a Popeyes restaurant in Macon, Georgia, Jordan Alexander Duncan pleaded guilty on Nov. 27 to aggravated battery in Bibb County Superior Court, according to WSBTV. The guilty plea comes after Duncan, 25, threw a pot of scalding hot grease at Kelvin Early, a fellow employee of the Popeyes restaurant, resulting in second-and third-degree burns. The incident occurred in November 2021 at the Popeyes on Mercer University Drive.

According to prosecutors, Duncan entered Popeyes to collect his final paycheck from his previous employment at the establishment. However, instead of a routine visit, Duncan grabbed a pot, dipped it into the fryer, and callously threw the hot grease onto Early. Court docs didn’t disclose what caused the former employee to chuck the scalding liquid. According to Macon.com, during the court proceedings, Duncan, his attorney, and his mother all testified that he grappled with mental health issues and substance abuse problems. Despite the acknowledgment, the suspect received a three-year prison sentence from Judge David L. Mincey III. Both Duncan and his mother expressed a desire for him to undergo rehabilitation in addition to serving his prison term, highlighting a commitment to addressing his challenges.

Early, the victim of the grease attack, did not attend Duncan’s sentencing, but prosecutors noted that he sought some form of retribution for the incident. In addition to the prison sentence, special conditions were imposed on Duncan, requiring him to stay away from both Kelvin Early and the Popeyes restaurant where the assault occurred.

The case underscores the severity of the consequences when workplace disputes escalate to violence. As Duncan begins his prison term, questions linger about the broader implications of workplace confrontations and the importance of addressing mental health and substance abuse issues to prevent such incidents in the future.