The owner of a Seattle Bikini Espresso Shop defends his decision to smash a customer’s windshield with a hammer after he threw coffee at him.
The incident at Taste of Heaven Espresso was filmed at 3 p.m. on June 11 and shared in a now-viral video on social media. Emma Lee, 23, said FOX 13 Seattle this wasn’t the first time the customer had been disrespectful and she wants him to be held accountable for his actions.
What happened in the video was the culmination of a 15-minute exchange over the price of a 32-ounce coffee and 24 ounces of water, Lee said. The price was $22.
Lee can be heard asking the customer to leave in surveillance video posted to her personal Instagram page.
The anonymous customer can be seen throwing water and then coffee at the barista who owns the Seattle espresso stand. (Obtained by FOX 13 Seattle)
“No one will miss you,” the man can be heard saying.
“You want me to throw this at you?” she asked him.
“Give it to me,” he said before taking back the two cups.
He then removes the lid from the water and throws it to him before doing the same with coffee. He gets back in his car while Lee takes out a hammer and hits his windshield before driving off.
Emma Lee, 23, said what happened was the result of a 15-minute confrontation over the price of coffee and water. (Obtained by FOX 13 Seattle)
“You can’t set your own price,” Lee told FOX 13, adding that the man screamed, spit and tried to open the business’ window.
“It was a threat,” Lee said. “I felt in danger. It’s normal for him to be outraged at the price of his drinks, to the point of attacking me, but isn’t it appropriate for me to respond?”
Police at the espresso stand are investigating the alleged assault. (FOX 13 Seattle)
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Lee called police and told FOX 13 she filed a misdemeanor assault report. Seattle Police did not immediately respond to a request from Fox News Digital for more information.
The customer is prohibited from returning to the company.
