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| Whole Foods security guard fired after 'beating up black customer trying to pay with food stamps card' | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Whole Foods supermarket security guard has been fired following an alleged violent confrontation, a spokesperson for the store has said. | A Whole Foods supermarket security guard has been fired following an alleged violent confrontation, a spokesperson for the store has said. |
| A person claiming to be a witness to the attack said on social media that the guard slammed a young black shopper "repeatedly against concrete pillars", put the him in a "chokehold" and "restrained and suffocated" him until throwing him "face down on the pavement unconscious". | A person claiming to be a witness to the attack said on social media that the guard slammed a young black shopper "repeatedly against concrete pillars", put the him in a "chokehold" and "restrained and suffocated" him until throwing him "face down on the pavement unconscious". |
| According to the witness the victim was locked out of the shop in Oakland, California by the guard, despite the fact that he was "immobile". | According to the witness the victim was locked out of the shop in Oakland, California by the guard, despite the fact that he was "immobile". |
| None of the employees present called the emergency services after the incident, according to the witness. | None of the employees present called the emergency services after the incident, according to the witness. |
| Victim lying in a pool of blood following the alleged incident | Victim lying in a pool of blood following the alleged incident |
| In her account of the incident the witness shared images of the young man lying on the pavement in a pool of blood. Further images show him being treated by paramedics. | In her account of the incident the witness shared images of the young man lying on the pavement in a pool of blood. Further images show him being treated by paramedics. |
| Paramedics attending to victim attacked by Whole Foods security guard | Paramedics attending to victim attacked by Whole Foods security guard |
| The man was trying to purchase food with an electronic benefit transfer card, according to the witness, which provides people with food stamp benefits. | The man was trying to purchase food with an electronic benefit transfer card, according to the witness, which provides people with food stamp benefits. |
| Whole Foods confirmed on Twitter that they had suspended a security guard following the incident. | Whole Foods confirmed on Twitter that they had suspended a security guard following the incident. |
| @terrell_press The security guard involved in the incident has been suspended. We’re actively investigating the details w/our security firm. | @terrell_press The security guard involved in the incident has been suspended. We’re actively investigating the details w/our security firm. |
| In a statement to KPIX 5, Whole Foods spokeswoman, Beth Krauss said: “Last night at our Oakland store, there was an altercation that escalated to violence. The graphic images circulating on Facebook and Twitter are disturbing to say the least.” | In a statement to KPIX 5, Whole Foods spokeswoman, Beth Krauss said: “Last night at our Oakland store, there was an altercation that escalated to violence. The graphic images circulating on Facebook and Twitter are disturbing to say the least.” |
| “The security guard involved in the incident has been suspended, and we are actively investigating the details with our security firm.” | “The security guard involved in the incident has been suspended, and we are actively investigating the details with our security firm.” |
| “While we move swiftly to gather the facts, we want to make it clear that Whole Foods Market takes a zero tolerance approach to violence.” | “While we move swiftly to gather the facts, we want to make it clear that Whole Foods Market takes a zero tolerance approach to violence.” |
| @VainandAble We’re moving quickly to gather the facts, we want to make it clear that we take a zero tolerance approach to violence. | @VainandAble We’re moving quickly to gather the facts, we want to make it clear that we take a zero tolerance approach to violence. |
| @ncdonnas All incidents involving safety & security are top priority. We’re actively investigating the details w/our security firm. | @ncdonnas All incidents involving safety & security are top priority. We’re actively investigating the details w/our security firm. |
| Krauss later confirmed that the security guard, who remains anonymous, had been “permanently removed” from Whole Foods Market. | Krauss later confirmed that the security guard, who remains anonymous, had been “permanently removed” from Whole Foods Market. |
| @MassonProjects We are taking this very seriously. The security guard involved in incident has been permanently removed from all WFM stores. | @MassonProjects We are taking this very seriously. The security guard involved in incident has been permanently removed from all WFM stores. |