The controversy over COVID-19 masks came to a peak at an Aurora Waffle House Thursday (May 14) when a customer allegedly shot an employee for refusing him service.

According to The Denver Channel, Kelvin Watson, 27, was booked into jail early Friday morning on a charge of attempted murder. Watson was attempting to enter a Waffle House in Aurora (2880 E. Mississippi Ave) Thursday night without a mask when he was refused service.

Watson became very upset and began arguing with the restaurant's employees, eventually slapping the restaurant's 25-year-old cook across the face. After the alleged assault, the cook ran out the back door of the business and called the police. Watson followed behind him, eventually shooting the victim in the abdomen outside the building.

Credit: Google Street View
Credit: Google Street View
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The Denver Channel obtained a police record saying that Watson was refused service at the same restaurant the night before (Wednesday) for the same reason. Reports say that the day before the incident, he left and returned with a mask after being refused service, but was wearing it improperly while threatening the cook and flashing a hand gun.

When police arrived on Wednesday, Watson had already left and the cook refused to press charges.

Waffle House released this statement in response to the incident:

We are deeply saddened and regret that this senseless act of violence occurred, causing injury to a member of our Waffle House family early Friday morning. We have learned that the hospital released our injured associate on Friday afternoon to recover from what has been described as a non-life- threatening injury. Our thoughts are with him, his family and coworkers at this difficult time. We ask that anyone who has any information about this incident to contact the local authorities as soon as possible. We are cooperating fully with the investigation, and direct all additional questions regarding the specifics of this incident to the local authorities handling the case.

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