A quiet Sunday night at the Waffle House on Ringgold Road turned into tragedy on January 18 when 26-year-old Mayco Bravo Gonzalez of East Ridge was shot multiple times and later died from his wounds. Police say the shooting happened inside the restaurant, and two people have now been arrested in connection with his death.
It was around 10:45 p.m. when East Ridge officers were called to the restaurant after someone reported gunfire. When they entered, they found Gonzalez lying on the floor with several gunshot injuries. First responders began lifesaving care right away, and he was rushed to Erlanger Hospital, but he died later.
Investigators pieced together what happened from witness accounts and surveillance video. People inside told police that a man and a woman had come in together earlier, ordered food and briefly spoke with Gonzalez. At first, it seemed like an ordinary dinner order.
But not long after that first visit, the man came back alone, carrying a handgun. Officers say he approached Gonzalez, who was seated with his back turned, and fired multiple shots. The woman also returned with a gun, but she did not fire.
By Tuesday, January 20, the East Ridge Police Department’s Criminal Investigative Division had tracked down and arrested both suspects. They identified the man as 37-year-old Toney Tyrone Allen of Chattanooga and the woman as 43-year-old Cyntoria Deanna Simmons of East Ridge. Both now face criminal homicide charges under Tennessee law.
Officials say the investigation is still active. Detectives are continuing to review evidence and talk to witnesses, and more charges could be possible as new details come in.
Friends and regulars who know the Ringgold Road Waffle House say the restaurant is usually a calm place where neighbors meet up late at night. The sudden violence has shaken many in the area, and community members are still trying to understand why the argument escalated with such deadly results.
