Staff at Plaza Sushi’s Masonville establishment are urging authorities and parents to take action after a group of teenagers reportedly vandalized the store and assaulted the owner on Friday evening. The franchise owner, Minsoo Lee, stated that the incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. and he promptly arrived at the scene to assist in filing a police report.
According to Lee, the trouble began when ten teenagers were hanging around outside the store and four girls from the group entered the establishment to use the restroom. When the girls delayed exiting the restroom, causing inconvenience to customers, the staff requested them to leave. Subsequently, the situation escalated as the girls started shouting racial slurs at the staff. Following their departure, four boys entered the store and also asked to use the restroom, but were denied access by the staff.
The group outside grew to over 30 individuals, who then started throwing trash, cardboard, and glass bottles from a nearby dumpster towards the restaurant. When the owner confronted the teenagers outside, they physically attacked him by punching him and throwing rocks. Some staff members intervened, leading to two of the teenagers brandishing knives.
Although the teenagers fled before the police arrived, photos were taken by the staff and security cameras captured the incident, with the evidence provided to the authorities. Lee expressed his distress by posting about the incident online, aiming to raise awareness and seek parental attention towards the behavior of the group.
Lee mentioned that this was not the first time his restaurant had faced disruptive behavior from young individuals, citing previous incidents of attempted theft. He emphasized the prevalence of theft and vandalism in the restaurant industry, leading to concerns about staff safety.
After sharing the incident on social media, Lee and the Plaza Sushi team received significant support from the community and other businesses. Despite the positive response, Lee emphasized the need for authorities to address the issue and called on parents to educate their children on proper behavior.
In light of these events, Lee expressed reluctance to allow unaccompanied teenagers into the restaurant until significant changes are made, citing concerns about trust and safety.