By Emily Czachor
Staff Writer
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A high school student in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, needed stitches for one of the injuries reportedly sustained during a physical altercation with customers at the Chili's restaurant where she worked as a hostess this summer.
Seventeen-year-old Kelsy Wallace said the incident took place after she told a group of patrons they could not sit together due to the restaurant's COVID-19 policies, local CBS affiliate WAFB reported on Wednesday. In efforts to reduce risks of coronavirus transmission at the restaurant, Wallace noted that employees were instructed to "separate" groups of more than six people and seat them at multiple tables.
"They got upset," she recalled of the customers who reportedly went on to initiate the fight with her on August 9. In Wallace's comments to WAFB, the teenager said what started as a verbal argument became increasingly violent after she solicited help from a store manager. With the manager nearby, Wallace said one woman pushed her first, and the rest of the group followed.
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The woman who originally shoved Wallace then reportedly used the restaurant's "wet floor" sign to hit her in the face, which was the injury that required stitches. She told WAFB her nails were also broken and hair was pulled from her scalp during the fight.
The group reportedly left the restaurant's property before Baton Rouge police arrived. Newsweek reached out to the Baton Rouge Police Department for comments but did not receive a reply in time for publication.
Wallace described the incident as "overwhelming" and said she is no longer working at the restaurant.
"I was just trying to follow the rules and make sure that I wasn't going to get in trouble," she added.
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In a statement, a Chili's representative told WAFB the company is disappointed by the customers' violence, and local law enforcement is continuing its response to the August 9 incident.
"We care deeply for every ChiliHead and are disappointed by the incident that took place at our Baton Rouge Chili's on August 9," the company's statement read. "We do not tolerate violent behavior in our restaurants, and are taking this incident very seriously as the safety and health of our Team Members and Guests is our top priority. Following this unprovoked attack, we immediately provided medical attention to our Team Member and called the local police department who is looking into this situation."
Newsweek reached out to the Chili's for additional comments but did not receive a reply before publication.
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