“He basically said get that little ‘blank’ up off the floor,” one of several witnesses told KCTV News, stating he was about five feet away from the altercation inside the restaurant. “The n-word started to get thrown around.”
He said he saw a preschool-aged child wander away from his family, and when a family member came to retrieve him, another customer used a racist slur and spat at the child. Police were then called to the restaurant.
The witness said he was shocked when police interviewed the man in question, he told them he was a first responder.
“I didn’t catch what the officer said to him, but his immediate response was ‘It’s ok, I’m a fireman,’ like that was supposed to blanket cover everything for him,” the witness said.
Overland Park police said they are speaking with the family again, and that the firefighter—whose name has not been released— could be charged with battery and making a criminal threat.
The child’s family told KCTV5 News the man spat on their child. They were celebrating a birthday at Hooters with 20 to 30 guests. The family said the boy wandered away from the party.
KCTV5 News confirms it has reached out to Hooters and is awaiting a statement.
