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Panera Bread employee repeatedly hits violent customer with pan: 'My personal hero'

By Chris Williams
Updated  September 11, 2024 6:44pm EDT
Colorado
FOX TV Stations

Panera employee strikes violent customer with pan

Video footage captured by Natalie Wiersma shows the dramatic altercation, during which the suspect throws several objects off a counter at restaurant staff.

The Brief 

    • A Panera Bread employee in Colorado used a pan to strike a violent customer during a heated altercation, caught on video.
    • The customer threw objects at staff, demanded a missing phone, and engaged in a brawl with another patron.
    • Police say the suspect, who had caused previous disturbances, remains at large after fleeing the scene.

GLENDALE, Colo. - A Panera Bread employee in Colorado used a pan to hit an unruly and violent customer who remains at large, video showed. 

The incident happened at the bakery's location in Glendale, Colorado, on Tuesday. 

Natalie Wiersma recorded video of the dramatic altercation in which the customer threw several objects at the staff, saying "Give me my (expletive) phone."

"They all looked super-confused and said, ‘We don’t have your phone’," Wiersma recalled.

The customer became more irate, shoving items off a counter. 

Another customer intervened, and the two got into a brawl. 

Colorado police said Isaac Andrew Ross, aka "Kendall Ross," caused a major disturbance at a Panera Bread. (Credit: Glendale Police)

That was when an employee came up with a pan and repeatedly struck the violent customer. 

"My personal hero," Wiersma said. "That I think was very effective."

Police said the at-fault customer threw a smoothie at employees and yelled a racial slur at one of them but left before police arrived, only to return later to cause another disturbance. 

One person suffered minor injuries during the second altercation. Police are still looking for the suspect. 

Police have identified the suspect as Isaac Andrew Ross, also known as "Kendall Ross".

FOX Television Stations reached out to Panera Bread for comment. 

The Source

  • The details in this story were provided by Storyful, obtaining information and video from Natalie Wiersma at the Panera Bread location in Glendale, Colorado. This story was reported from Los Angeles.