Dunkin’ (formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts) is taking action after a video of an employee pouring water on a homeless man inside a Syracuse, N.Y. location was posted to Facebook. The video has been viewed nearly 3 million times.
The COO of the group which owns and operates the Dunkin’ location, Kimberly Wolak, told USA Today that they fired workers involved in the video, which shows Jeremy Dufresne resting his head on a table inside the store on Sunday night before he was covered in water. An employee can be heard scolding Dufresne for sleeping in the establishment while another person laughs. Dufresne responds that it was “an accident.”
“We were extremely disturbed by the behavior of our employees captured in the video,” Wolak told USA Today in a statement. “It not only violated our written policies, but goes against our core values as an organization – which include creating a welcoming and hospitable environment and treating everyone with dignity and respect.”
RELATED: Dunkin’ Donuts Is Officially Removing ‘Donuts’ From Its Name
A representative for Dunkin’s corporate office could not immediately be reached by PEOPLE.
Dufresne, who reportedly suffers from schizophrenia, told Syracuse.com that he was charging his phone at the time so he could call his mother like he does every night.
“He probably had some personal problems of his own and needed someone to talk to,” Dufresne said of the Dunkin’ employee. “And he took it out on someone else, like me.”
RELATED VIDEO: Starbucks Has Officially Changed Its Bathroom Policy
The outlet also spoke with Dufresne’s mother and aunt, who despite their efforts to have Dufresne stay with them, say he prefers to live on the streets because he likes being alone. “The only time I talk to people is when I talk to my family,” he added to Syracuse.com.
Samuel Breazeale, who first posted the video on Facebook, started a Go Fund Me campaign to raise money for Dufresne. More than $12,000 has been raised so far and Breazeale wrote on Facebook that he has been in touch with Dufresne’s family to ensure he receives the donations.
Source: Read Full Article