The fight continued for roughly 15 seconds, with Taylor taking repeated hits to his chest and face for his refusal to release the employee from his grip. Throughout the encounter, other workers attempted to pull the pair apart, with two employees eventually opting to jump in between the brawlers.
"Stop playing with me… stop f**king playing with me," James yelled out as her fellow coworkers escorted her away from Taylor. "I'm calling the police!"
Things escalated even further once the employee returned to the front counter to collect her belongings. "I want her ass fired right now," Taylor tells the manager before engaging in a brief war of words with James. "I was just asking you a f**king question, b***h."
According to Biandudi's Facebook post, Taylor had been inquiring about a straw prior to the fight. Taylor reportedly became upset with the restaurant's policy of requesting drinking straws from the front counter, the Atlanta Black Star reported.
As for the restaurant manager, rather than assisting his employee and requesting Taylor immediately leave the grounds, he was instead filmed checking the customer's receipt. His failure to act more decisively has caused many critics to call for his dismissal.
— Octavia Butler knew… (@Nikyatu) January 2, 2019
— R O C H E L L E (@RochelleRitchie) January 2, 2019
— Dblmint02 (@Dblmint02) January 2, 2019
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) January 2, 2019
— TOᑭ ᖇOᑭE TᖇAViS (@TopRopeTravis) January 2, 2019
— Snot Boogie (@stevenusdavis) January 2, 2019
When contacted by Sputnik, McDonald's did not offer a comment regarding the behavior exhibited by the manager, instead stressing that it was cooperating with the ongoing police investigation.
"Our highest priority is always the safety and well-being of our employees and customers at our restaurants," the statement reads. "We have been in contact with the police department and are fully cooperating with their investigation."
Taylor has since been arrested by the Sunshine State's St. Petersburg Police Department and charged with two counts of 1st degree simple battery for initiating the physical encounter, online arrest records from the Pinellas County show.
According to the Atlanta Black Star, Taylor received his second assault charge for kicking another McDonald's employee in the stomach when management decided to remove him from the restaurant.
"The defendant kicked the victim in the stomach while she was standing near the exit door. There are several witnesses, and the incident was captured on video," a police report cited by the publication states.
Taylor is currently being held on a $500 bond for each charge.
