WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) – Food and soda bottles flew in a Westerville, Ohio hibachi restaurant when a man attacked store employees before fighting another bystander near him, video from the restaurant security camera showed.
Westerville police released both a security camera photo of the suspect, as well a video of the Sept. 21 incident at Genjigo at 14 E. Schrock Rd. The video did not have any audio of what happened, but it began with the suspect and another man standing at the cashier’s counter.
A worker appeared to be ringing up the suspect’s order but pointed at the screen and said something to the man. The suspect grew agitated and leaned around a glass pane at the window. He pointed at the bowl of food and started to talk more to the two workers in the kitchen as well as turning to the other customer next to him. The video showed the other customer starting to back away.
The cashier continued to try talking to the suspect, but he appeared to yell over her and quickly threw his hand up and pointed at her. The second worker tried to move in to intervene, but the security video showed the cashier motioning for him to back away.
The suspect took a few steps away from the counter but then reached back and grabbed the bowl of food. He ripped the sticker off the bowl and then threw the bowl at the cashier, striking her in the chest. He then grabbed more items off of the counter, including a wooden display for soda and the bottles themselves, and continued throwing more of them at the cashier. In total, including the food bowl, he threw eight objects at the worker.
As the suspect started to walk away, the corner of the security video showed another customer stepping in and confronting him on the same side of the counter. Most of the fight happened off-screen, but the two squared up and attacked each other. The other customer appeared to overpower the suspect, punching him and pushing him into a drink dispenser before the video ended.
Westerville police asked anyone who recognized the suspect to call their anonymous tip line at 614-901-6866.