NORFOLK, Va. — Michael Parker, the Norfolk man accused of killing one person and injuring another in a Cook Out drive-thru Monday morning, is speaking out from jail.
Parker, 29, is facing second-degree murder, malicious wounding and two additional gun charges. In his first interview, he told 13News Now he was just trying to defend himself and his girlfriend.
“I ordered a grilled chicken tray, with the honey mustard chicken wrap and the Cajun fries,” Parker remembered. “This is crazy because me and [my girlfriend] said that night, we haven’t had Cook Out in a long time, let’s go grab us some Cook Out.”
As the pair were going through the drive-through, Parker says a man, now identified as Jason Allred of New Mexico, walked up to his car.
“I didn’t know him from a can of paint. He started hitting the window, and grabbing the doorknobs and stuff like that,” he said.
Parker says he got out of the vehicle to defend himself and his girlfriend, explaining, “he charges at me, elbows me in the face, I was armed. As he’s grabbing for the firearm, that’s when it went off.”
Police say they arrived on the scene on E. Little Creek Road at around 1:25 a.m. to find Allred, 25, with a life-threatening gunshot wound. He died at the scene.
Parker says he can’t remember if he pulled the trigger or if it went off during the scuffle. He says he’s sorry the man lost his life, but he doesn’t think he deserves a second-degree murder charge.
He said, “I’m sorry that the situation itself happened because all life is precious. I’m not a bad person. I was supposed to be at work at 6:00 the next morning.”
When asked if he regrets having a gun on him that morning, Parker said, “honestly, I don’t know. What if I didn’t? What if he was able to overpower me? What if he knocked me out and got inside the car with my girlfriend?”
Now, Parker says he worries about the uncertain future.
“I’m scared I’m about to lose everything. I’m [going to] say ‘when,’ even when everything goes my way and I’m able to prove my innocence, I still feel like the process is going to make me lose everything.”
Another man, who witnesses say is a Cook Out employee, suffered a graze wound during the incident. Police say he was treated at the scene. Parker said he’s “very sorry” the man got caught in the crossfire. Parker is lodged at the Norfolk City Jail without bond. He’ll be back in court on July 2.
13News Now reached out to the Norfolk Police Department and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office. Both declined to comment, citing an active investigation.