Animal smashes through restaurant’s front door and refuses to leave, NC police say

Ordering “take out” took on an entirely new meaning when a desperado deer broke into a restaurant and had to be forced out by police.

It happened at 6 a.m. Tuesday in downtown Morganton, and police were alerted by a caller making “an animal complaint.”

“This morning, (officers) assisted an unexpected customer who made its way into a local eatery by crashing through the front glass door,” Morganton Public Safety wrote in a June 23 Facebook post.

“After a little wrestling match and plenty of teamwork, officers safely guided the deer out the back door.”

When last seen, the deer was headed into the woods with “minor abrasions.”

The eviction involved three officers, one of whom was photographed pinning the doe to the kitchen floor. No injuries were reported among the officers.

“One thing is for sure, this young lady doesn’t skip cardio day,” police said.

Morganton is about a 75-mile drive northwest from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 8:58 AM with the headline "Animal smashes through restaurant’s front door and refuses to leave, NC police say."