Station hosts cheap gas event after pill incident

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — People on the southeast side of Grand Rapids caught a major deal on gas Friday evening. 

The BP station on Eastern and Martin Luther King Jr. Street, formerly known as Franklin Avenue, offered gas for $2.99 per gallon. From 5:30 p.m. to about 8 p.m., the store said more than 500 drivers were able to take advantage of the discounted gas prices. There were also free snacks and drinks provided by the station. 

Community activists said they worked with store owners to put on the event after an employee mistakenly gave a child diabetic pills in a bag of candy earlier this week.

“We just giving back to the community, putting a smile on people’s faces. Making today better than it was yesterday,” said Eli Tyler, who helped to pump customers’ gas Friday evening. 

Organizers said they wanted to reiterate to the community that it was an honest mistake and to show they do care for the people who have supported their business for over a decade.  

“I feel like careless acts do happen and was it a careless act? Yes. Was it ways to prevent it? Yes. And should things change? Yes but as far as these people trying to target and kill our kids off, I feel like that’s a false narrative,” said community activist Daevionne Smith who helped organize the event.

“I think (the lower gas price) helps a lot because a lot of people around here are in poverty. A lot of people can’t afford those gas prices. A lot of people are used to only putting $10 in their gas tank and today they were probably able to put $30 or $40 in their gas tank or maybe able to fill it up,” Smith said.

Following the incident, the store owner issued a public apology, spoke to the victim’s mother and fired the employee responsible.