MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A woman is facing multiple assault charges after officials say she punched a security guard and bit a sheriff’s deputy during an altercation at a southeast Memphis restaurant Saturday morning.
Atlantiss McNeil, 24, is charged with two counts of Assault on Fire Responder, Assault, Public Intoxication, and Resisting Official Detention.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Half Shell restaurant located at 7825 Winchester Road at 12:25 a.m. Upon arrival, deputies observed a fistfight involving multiple people and began trying to de-escalate the situation.
The security guard on scene told deputies that McNeil and another individual in the restaurant were arguing intensely, causing her to approach both of them. She says McNeil bumped into her and stated, “[Expletive] you are nothing and you need to back up off me.”
The security guard claims she asked McNeil and the other individual involved to leave the restaurant, but McNeil refused and instead punched the security guard.
Reports say a manager at Half Shell requested assistance from two deputies who were at the restaurant eating when the altercation erupted.
According to an affidavit, immediately when a deputy made contact with McNeil, she punched him in the face twice.
Deputies say McNeil appeared to be “heavily intoxicated or under the influence.” She allegedly kicked both deputies and bit a deputy’s hand while they were attempting to arrest her.
McNeil was eventually detained but continued to be “extremely irate” and resist. She reportedly spit in one of the deputy’s faces after being taken into custody.
Reports say McNeil claimed the altercation began after a man, who was continuously buying her and her friend alcoholic drinks, would not leave them alone. She said she asked him to step away from her friend multiple times, but he refused, causing her to feel “uneased by his presence at the moment.”
McNeil also told deputies that the security guard approached her and became aggressive with her without knowing the nature of the situation. She stated that she punched the security guard because she brushed up against McNeil.
Her bond has not yet been set.
