A former Starbucks employee in Missouri, Michael Harris, is suing the renowned coffee chain, asserting that he was terminated for defending himself against a pair of robbers in the store where he worked.
Harris, 20, alleges that Starbucks informed him of his job termination after he and another employee resisted one of the robbers. Initially attempting to de-escalate the situation, Harris later engaged in self-defense when one of the robbers “pistol-whipped me in the back of the head.” Subsequently, Harris discovered that the robbers were using a fake gun.
In an interview on Newsmax’s National Report, Harris expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome but affirmed, “I don’t regret anything because I know the situation could have turned out very differently, and somebody else could have got hurt. And we didn’t know that there was a real gun or a fake one at that time, so I felt I did the best thing I could have at that point, and I felt like I just did the right thing.” Harris emphasized that his actions were a split-second decision made to protect himself and others present in the store.
His lawyer, Ryan Krupp, argued that the evidence supports Harris exercising his “human rights” to self-defense. Krupp contended that the evolving situation placed Harris in a “run, hide, fight” scenario, emphasizing that Harris was assaulted, feared for his life and his co-workers’ lives, and responded appropriately.
Starbucks issued a response justifying the decision to terminate Harris, stating that employees are expected to adhere to “carefully crafted protocols” to ensure safety.
The company added that employees undergo training for armed robbery scenarios to prevent actions that may escalate situations. The Washington Examiner has sought additional comment from Starbucks.
