Video shows brawl at Denny’s

wishtv ^ | July 24, 2015 | Stephanie Ballesteros

[digger48]

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — A video showing a brawl inside the Denny’s Restaurant on West Mercury Boulevard in Hampton, Virginia has already been shared over 2,000 times on Facebook.

Hampton police said the fight broke out inside the Denny’s around 2:30 a.m. Thursday.

The video posted on Facebook starts with one man, punching another on the ground. A woman tries to break it apart, but the scuffle heads to the back booths and kitchen area. At one point, a man actually rips his shirt off and pushes the other fighters toward the door.

More people get involved and try to break it up. The shirtless man starts cursing and knocks over a soda display. According to police, the fight then moved out to the parking lot.

WISH-TV’s sister station WAVY talked to a woman who did not want to be identified. She said she was eating inside the restaurant and that the video does not show how it all started.

“One of the guys had an issue with how packed it was getting and the fact that he hasn’t been served, so he made a big commotion. The commotion was toward the waitress, calling her out, her name, calling her, just being rude and disrespectful,” she said.

She said the customer went around the counter and was starting a fight with a male employee.

“The employee didn’t do anything, other than calm him down and he was being, I mean, really respectful. There was no need for all that commotion to have started…[The customer] ends up putting his hands on the worker which causes the initial fight,” she said.

When officers responded to the scene, they arrested 29-year-old Mario Wright from Newport News for allegedly assaulting an officer in the parking lot as he tried to break up the fight. They also arrested 31-year-old Albert Johnson from Newport News for public intoxication.

Staff members at Denny’s said they could not comment on the fight. A message for Denny’s corporate media department was not returned Friday.

Police said a “verbally abusive group” was inside the restaurant and that the fight did not appear to be motivated by any one reason.

One employee was hurt, but will recover, said police. The officer that was assaulted during this incident was not injured.

Officers say they expect to press more charges in this case.

[USMCPOP]

“They were confused and thought they were in a Chucky Cheese.”

No way. The nearest Chuck E Cheese is two miles from East Mercury Blvd. East Mercury is about 5 miles long and has scores of fast food type joints. Including four fried chicken and one fried fish joint.

[USMCPOP]

Oops - West Mercury Blvd.

[discostu]

There’s nothing worth fighting over at Denny’s... unless you’re beating up the person that’s why you’re stuck eating at Denny’s.

[Chuckster]

Taking the shirt off is usually a white guy thing.

In a fight, if your opponent gets hold of your shirt he can control you. If he can pull it over your head you are going to take a beating.

[Sivad]

True, but the Little Black Sambo depicted in
the restaurant murals was of a black kid
more typical of an African appearance than
Indian. Later, they gave the kid a lighter
skin tone and painted a turbine on his head.
As a kid, myself, the original wall painting
sure looked like a black African.

[Sivad]

A turbin, not a turbine. Spell check can
be a b*tch.

[DPMD]

Please. Be enlightened. It’s Cheegroes.

[CodeToad]

“Denny’s was Sambos. They changed the name.”

Only a few locations were sold to Denny’s, most others eventually just closed.

[AppyPappy]

The original book was an Indian kid because Britain controlled India.

[Sivad]

Yes, I know that.

[Molon Labbie]

Or movie theaters...or grocery stores...or the Octoberfest...

[SamAdams76]

Denny’s was where I went as a young man after the bars had closed. Nothing like a plate of greasy bacon, eggs and toast to ward off a hangover. With lots of orange juice.

[right way right]

Thanks, that's interesting.
I was a little kid maybe 8 or 9 and I do remember the murals, since I was born in 63 my recollection was that little black Sambo was an Indian. (From India).
I remember my mom telling me the story of the butter, I thought about it for a minute then,looking at my dad I said, “that is so dumb!”
My dad said,”you are very right!”. I was little puzzled that he agreed with me for once.
My Dad was a very, very serious man, I half expected a slap up side the head for ridiculing my moms story.
Funny that I remember that specifically.
Maybe that's why my handle is what it is.
(actually ‘right wing nut’ was probably taken)

[CodeToad]

I remember Sambos, too. Had the best pancakes. Interestingly, an old girlfriend’s family were the owners. They had started a number of restaurants beyond Sambos. They had been into steak houses and Pizza. (Straw Hat or Shakey’s, can’t remember which.)