Man facing charges after punching Starbucks employee in attack thwarted by licensed gun owner, authorities say

Benjamin Scott Overall was shot after "aggressively" approaching a Starbucks patron, according to criminal charges. (Salt Lake County Jail)

A concealed carrier in a Utah Starbucks fired one shot into the chest of a man last week who polices said had just assaulted a barista, Salt Lake City’s Fox 13 reported.

The carrier was in his late 60s, police said. His identity was not released.

“He witnessed the assault against the clerk,” UPD Detective Ken Hansen said. “And his response, because apparently after the assault the guy came after him, and so he shot the man in the chest.”

The suspect, identified as Benjamin Scott Overall, 37, set off a panic alarm around 6 a.m. Oct. 4 inside a 7-Eleven store in Millcreek, a suburb of Salt Lake City, KJZZ-TV reported. A responding officer approached Overall, who then allegedly fled to a nearby Starbucks.

Overall then allegedly attacked a female employee, the Salt Lake City Tribune reported. A police "probable cause" statement said he punched her, hit her in the head with a metal basket, and kicked her.

“She couldn’t get away from him, and he continued to strike her on her head, face, neck and shoulders,” criminal charges stated.

The employee, Shelby Hamilton, 24, said she thought Overall was going to kill her.

“He just came in the door and … hit me in the back of the head from behind,” Hamilton told the Deseret News. “I was the first one he saw.”

Overall then “aggressively approached” a customer who happened to have a concealed weapons permit, according to the criminal charges. The customer shot Overall in the chest before he could attack, police said.

A restaurant employee who works next door to the Starbucks said the area has a problem with transients.

“I give kudos to the guy who shot the man in the chest,” the employee told KUTV.

Police interviewed the permit holder after the shooting. They said he was cooperative. Hansen doesn’t know if he will face charges but said it is likely the shooting will be interpreted as self-defense.

Hamilton said the permit holder is a regular customer.

“I never would have expected that from him,” Hamilton said. “He just seemed like a very meek guy. So I was surprised, but also very grateful. I was very grateful that he was there. And I was glad it was somebody we see regularly so that hopefully, in the future, I can thank him.”

Overall was charged Tuesday with aggravated assault and criminal trespass, according to court records. He remained hospitalized through Wednesday, recovering from his gunshot wounds, KSL-TV reported.

A police affidavit cited by KSL indicated that Overall attempted to go into a hotel room that was not his earlier this year. He was convicted of intoxication in Salt Lake Justice Court in May, according to court records.