Witness says Waffle House workers helped Popeyes shooting victim

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The Waffle House crew that helped an injured Popeyes employee seek shelter from a shooter is being hailed as heroes by one witness.

RELATED: BRPD: Victim flees to Waffle House after being shot during fight with coworker at nearby fast-food restaurant

Watson native Hannah Frazier, 28, says the victim came into the Waffle House’s O’Neal Lane location and collapsed around the same time that she was finishing one of “the best Waffle House meals” she’s had.

She says Waffle House waiters jumped into action by helping the injured man put pressure on the wound.

She says her family left a double tip for one waiter, who she identified as Rowland, because of the care he showed to customers during the ordeal.

“That waiter, Rowland, was an amazing person that night. To see [Rowland] help that man, and then go right to cleaning the blood up and going back in to continue his shift. Incredible.”

Having spent nearly a decade working in hospitals, Frazier says it’s important to jump into action in these types of situations.

She says adults helped move children into a locked bathroom until police arrived.

She says she called emergency crews to the scene while the Waffle House staff gave water to the injured man and helped to stop the bleeding.

“Once I saw the coagulation and heard him talking and drinking, I knew that he would probably be fine,” said Frazier.

She says first responders also showed kindness and professionalism, including a Baton Rouge police officer named “Shaq” who was apologetic about holding customers at the scene for more than an hour.

“[I] made a friend in him last night,” said Frazier.

The shooting is another case of seemingly targeted violence or domestic disputes spilling over into the public, according to Baton Rouge Police.

Police Sgt. L’Jean McKneely says the shooting started as an argument between workers at the nearby Popeye’s. Baton Rouge Police are still investigating what the workers were arguing about.

Frazier says she came to the restaurant with family visiting from Washington

so that they’d get the “Waffle House experience.”

“Little did I know I was going to expose them to way too much of Baton Rouge’s exquisite cuisine,” she wrote in a Facebook post about the ordeal.

“They definitely got the full experience,” she said.

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