Slain man hailed as hero by dad for defending friend in Mesa drive-thru shooting
A father is remembering his son’s valor after he was killed earlier this month in a shooting at a Mesa McDonald’s drive-thru.
"He was taught to stand up for what was right," Daniel J. Betker said about his 22-year-old son, Daniel J. Betker Jr.
Court documents show Daniel was fatally shot early on Jan. 14 after defending his friends from a man wielding a firearm. A 26-year-old man was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting at the 24-hour restaurant situated on South Country Club Drive between West Southern Avenue and U.S. 60.
Learned virtues
Betker was grasping at the harsh reality that Daniel’s life was cut short. But the 46-year-old California resident sees his son’s last moments as an example of the young man he was.
Daniel was "very respectable, hardworking, motivated," Betker said, mentioning he learned just how upstanding he was during a Jan. 20 celebration of life held in his son’s honor. About 25 friends and loved ones gathered on what would have been Daniel's 23rd birthday. They wrote down their favorite memories and tied them to balloons, which they released.
These anecdotes revealed Daniel as someone who respected his elders and displayed gallantry — values Betker strived to impart to his son.
"It was neat to see him actually putting those things to work without me right there," Betker said.
Born in Oxnard, California, Daniel moved north with family to Bakersfield and came to Arizona with his mother in 2021. He was working as a mover at an auction business, saving money to move into an apartment with his fiancee. Daniel had recently told his father the couple was planning to start a family.
Violent encounter
Daniel had a registered firearm, his father said. While he didn't know his son had bought the weapon until after the shooting, Betker said he had warned his son about the possible deadly consequences of firearms.
Based on what a detective on the case told him, Betker understands his son’s death stemmed from him trying to defuse an altercation in which the murder suspect pulled a gun. Daniel was not in the drive-thru but part of a crowd, including friends, in an adjacent parking lot. His son rushed to his friend’s aid, and the shooting suspect spotted Daniel with a gun before firing at him, Betker said.
A wounded Daniel fled and tried hiding behind an electrical utility box at the drive-thru, falling to the ground before the gunman fired three or more rounds at him, according to the account Betker said the detective shared with him.
The suspect was taken into custody several hours later, admitting to shooting Daniel, charging documents show. The weapon was recovered at his home.
Betker is finding solace in his son’s last few actions and how they benefited the friend in the drive-thru who managed to escape the shooting alive.
"I think my son took that guy's place," Betker said, adding he does not question his son’s decision to confront a potential attacker. "If my son thought that these people were important enough for him to stand up for them and lose his life, then I have to go off of his judgment because I taught him well."
Pushing forward
In addition to his parents and fiancee, Daniel leaves behind five siblings, two nephews and a niece.
The father and son regularly communicated with each other. Betker shared that on Daniel’s birthday last year, his son called and told him, "I’m a young, strong, independent Black man, and everything I know I owe it to you."
The last time they communicated was Jan. 9. Daniel texted, "Dad, I love you and I miss you. Call me this weekend."
Betker replied, "OK, son. I love you more." But Daniel was slain only hours before Betker had planned on dialing him.
Now, Betker is working to lay his son to rest with dignity and has started a GoFundMe page for that purpose. He has been traveling to Phoenix to see the man accused of killing his son in his initial court appearances.
"I feel that my son's strength is wrapped around me to give me the strength," Betker said about how he is handling Daniel’s death. "I feel like he's protecting me right now because that's the type of person he was."
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mesa shooting victim Daniel J. Betker Jr. honored as hero by dad
