Steak ‘n Shake shooting suspect fired one round before gun jammed

New court documents indicate a 19-year-old employee who fired a gun into the ceiling of the Steak ‘n Shake on Worley Street in Columbia had been using drugs prior to arriving at the restaurant.

Reiss Alan Favinger was charged with several criminal counts including armed criminal action and resisting arrest after police said he fired a round into the ceiling of the restaurant and then fled the scene.

According to the documents, witnesses told police that Favinger had been inside the business speaking with management about his employment when he became “enraged.” He pulled his gun from his waistband and fired a shot into the ceiling while yelling “I quit!”

Another man, identified as J.W., had accompanied Favinger into the restaurant, and had to remove him when he began firing shots.

The witness told police that if J.W. had not helped Favinger out of the business, she felt like she would have been shot.

After a K-9 track, officers located Favinger walking in the area of the restaurant. Police said they gave “loud verbal commands” to him and he initially stopped walking away. While police frisked him, Favinger slipped out of the backpack he was wearing and took off.

Court documents indicate they eventually took him into custody after a foot pursuit.

Police said they found a black 40 caliber handgun, several rounds of ammunition, and a Xanax pill in the backpack. They noted that the gun had jammed after firing one round. Favinger admitted to police he carried it with him at all times due to the area in which he lives.

He also said he had been using meth, cocaine, marijuana, and Xanax prior to going to Steak ‘n Shake. He told police that he “got angry” and “shot a gun in the air.”

Court documents noted Favinger is currently on probation for a previous drug charge out of Boone County.