MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Three days after he was accused of threatening Starbucks employees with a gun over cream cheese, a South Florida man walked out of Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Early Saturday morning, 38-year-old Omar Wright walked out of TGK and was approached by Local 10 News’ Parker Branton.
“Always go to Dunkin’ Donuts,” Wright said. “Never Starbucks.”
Wright appeared before a judge on Friday, saying in court, “That’s not correct,” after a judge read details of his arrest report.
One of the Starbucks employees allegedly threatened was the daughter of Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt, who spoke exclusively about the incident with Local 10 News on Thursday.
Investigators say surveillance cameras show Wright waving around a gun inside the Miami Gardens coffee shop on Wednesday, though not necessarily pointing it at anyone.
According to an arrest report, Wright is accused of saying: “I hate b****** like you and you don’t know who you’re f****** with, I’m from Carol City.”
“Mr. Wright’s demands for cream cheese, while armed with a firearm, caused a well-founded fear in the victim leading her to believe that if she didn’t give him the cream cheese, whether he pays for it or not, her life was being put at risk,” the arrest report says.
Wright, who lives in Miami Gardens, said in court that he is licensed to carry a weapon. He has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and has a $10,000 bond.
The judge ordered him to stay away from the victim and that Starbucks.
Local 10 News stopped by Wright’s home Friday afternoon. His parents are distraught about the charges against their son.
“He’s very kind and helpful and very responsible,” his mother said.
“Whatever he did was real stupid and embarrassing,” the father added.
Wright was arrested Thursday after another Starbucks employee wrote down part of the license plate number from his car, and a camera linked to the city’s real-time crime center tracked it down.
Chief Noel-Pratt says this case shows how anyone can be affected by gun violence.
“These things can happen even to me,” she said.