911 Calls Released In Coral Springs Restaurant "Riot"
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CORAL SPRINGS (CBSMiami) -- Coral Springs Police released several 911 calls on Tuesday from inside a restaurant where a group of customers is accused of causing a melee.
It was around midnight Sunday at the Big Bear Brewing Company in Coral Springs when 911 received this call:
CALLER: "I'm calling the cops. I'm calling the cops."
The caller -- an employee -- said a group of customers was arguing with a waitress.
CALLER: "There's a fight. They were arguing over a tab and now they're, they're inside the restaurant."
Then the violence escalated. Coral Springs Police say two of the men attacked a waiter who tried to intervene after the customers threw a two cent tip in the waitress' face. Police said the customers punched the waiter and hit him over the head with a glass beer mug.
CALLER: "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God. Please, please come. Please come now!"
911 DISPATCHER: "Ok, you're in Big Bear. The police are on their way. How many people are involved?"
CALLER: "There's a bunch. There's like 10 people. Oh my God! Please come!"
Around the same time, police say, another employee -- a cook -- also called 911.
CALLER: "There's like four guys that ran through the back of the kitchen and they're fighting with our employees."
Click here to watch Carey Codd's report.
Police said they arrived quickly and arrested four people:
Claude Galland, charged with aggravated battery, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
Roosevelt Laguerre, charged with aggravated battery, assault, simple battery, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
Eurasha Fonseca, charged with aggravated assault, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct and Abby Thompson, charged with obstruction
Coral Springs Police Spokesman Lt. Joe McHugh said witnesses described a free for all.
"One witness described it as a riot," McHugh said. "They just all of a sudden started smashing decorations, started throwing things around the restaurant then they actually picked up chairs and started throwing them at glass partitions."
McHugh said officers on scene said customers and employees were in fear for their lives because of the actions of this group.
"They jeopardized not only the waitresses and waiters that work there but they jeopardized the customers that were going out to enjoy dinner with their family or even enjoy a dinner with friends," he said.
McHugh said the group of customers at fault bickered with the waitress throughout the evening.
"During the course of the entire dinner that they were eating they were constantly bickering back and forth with the waitress," McHugh said. "They would say the food wasn't done right so they want more food. The drinks weren't properly prepared so they want new drinks. This was after they drank half their drink and ate most of their food."
Police said there is no surveillance video from inside or outside of the restaurant but they say they do have many statements from witnesses. Police say they are looking to arrest several more people that they believe were involved in the fight.
The owner of the restaurant did not want to go on camera but said he is proud of the way his staff handled the violent, unprovoked situation.
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