Pennsylvania Rite Aid worker fired for dialing 911 on customer who turned violent when asked to wear face mask
YORK, PENNSYLVANIA: Elena Santiago, a 40-year-old shift manager at Rite Aid, was fired after she asked a customer to wear a mask while entering the store to adhere to state guidelines. The incident took place on Thursday afternoon, September 3, when the customer ignored Santiago's requests to follow the guidelines and cover up his face twice.
Santiago had also tried to give the customer a mask that the store kept in hand to give to customers, however, the customer refused to wear the same. Santiago recalled telling the customer, "If you're going to disrespect me, I’m going to have to ask you to leave the store," and then warned the customer that she would call the police if he refused to follow the rules and guidelines, according to a report in the New York Post.
It was after this that he threatened to attack her and she dialed 911. At this time, Santiago asked the cashier to go get other employees for help, however, the customer turned violent and even pushed the cashier into a magazine rack nearby. Security footage in the store showed the customer pushing the store display to the ground and knocking the cash register over.
He had carried a skateboard while entering the store and while leaving the store after creating this huge mess, he also smashed his board on the storefront. Just days after the incident occurred, Santiago was fired from Rite Aid. She said, "I was fired for defending myself. They're punishing me for defending myself. I think it's unfair how they handled it."
She also did not understand the decision and said that she was worried about landing a job anywhere else in today's time when the country has been struck hard by the coronavirus pandemic. This is not the first time that an incident like this has happened.
Recently, in Logan Township, Pennsylvania, an Altoona man threw frozen pizzas at the store manager of a convenience store when he was asked to wear a mask. According to the Logan Township Police Department, cops were called regarding a disturbance on August 13. The man, 35-year-old Patrick Steiner, attacked the manager and fled from the scene.
Steiner has been charged with disorderly conduct and harassment and was stopped at 17th street after authorities got the information regarding the customer's car and tracked it down.
In another incident, TikTok influencer Joegotti96 aka Joe Samaan, who is based in Kentucky, stirred controversy when he recorded himself at a convenience store attached to the gas station that he worked at. A woman was seen calling the influencer out in the video for not wearing a mask and he had asked her, "What do you care? What do you care?” She responded, "I care about my safety. I care about your safety."
He continued to ignore the woman and rolled his eyes at her and even referred to her as a "Karen", a slang term that refers to white women abusing their privilege. However, this influencer was in for a shock. Followers accused him of being a "Karen" and pointed out that the woman who did call him out for not wearing a mask was in the right this time.