Lakewood police say the suspect, 19-year-old Ezekiel Guerrero, pulled up to the drive-thru on the night of Aug. 18.
In surveillance video from the shop, a man is seen buying a drink. Everything seemed fine at first, until the barista handed him his order.
The video shows the customer aggressively grabbing the barista’s arm and trying to force her out the window. The barista is then seen bracing herself on the framing when the man lets go and drives away.
Police say they tracked Guerrero down using his credit card receipt from that night.
“I remember reaching vividly grabbed her. She said, ‘help.’ And when she said ‘help,’ I let go. And I got out and, uh, I didn’t, I didn’t escalate nothing,” Guerrero told police.
In his own words during a recorded interview with Lakewood detectives, Guerrero is heard describing what happened on Aug. 18.
“It was just a bad night for me. I’m sorry,” he said.
When asked about his goal, Guerrero responded: “No, no. I get it. I don’t even know why I even showed up there, bro. Like, I was drunk, I was upset.”
Guerrero went on to tell police he was drunk and high at the time; after claiming he’d gotten into a fight with his ex-girlfriend.
“It was a mistake. Honestly, I didn’t mean it, like that’s not me, I promise. Like it was just genuinely a moment that I had that I wish I didn’t,” he said during the interview.
Guerrero has been charged with attempted kidnapping. He was released on bail last week.
The partnership provides individuals experiencing homelessness with necessary skills and work opportunities to achieve financial stability and security.
NEW YORK, February 27, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– Instawork, the leading flexible work platform connecting businesses with skilled hourly workers, announces a strategic partnership with Change Please Coffee, an award-winning social enterprise dedicated to combatting homelessness with profits from exceptional coffee. This collaboration is designed to give back to communities across the U.S. by providing people experiencing homelessness with the skills and opportunities needed to achieve long-term financial independence and work stability.
Through this partnership, Change Please will continue its impactful work of training individuals navigating homelessness to become skilled baristas. Once trained, they will create profiles on the Instawork app, significantly increasing their access to a variety of work opportunities. This initiative not only provides immediate job opportunities but also acts as an early intervention, helping people build stability and avoid the risks of chronic homelessness.
“Instawork is committed to giving back to the communities we serve, and our partnership with Change Please is a testament to that commitment,” said Kira Caban, Head of Strategic Communications at Instawork. “By leveraging our platform to connect trained individuals with flexible work opportunities, we are helping to create a sustainable pathway toward financial stability and a way to remain out of homelessness.”
“Partnering with Instawork allows us to extend our impact and provide even greater opportunities for those we support,” said Cemal Ezel, Co-founder and CEO of Change Please. “By helping Trainees create profiles on the Instawork app, we are opening doors to a wider array of work opportunities, empowering them to achieve the stability they need.”
This partnership will initially focus on key markets in the United States including New York City, Denver, Charlotte, Dallas, and Los Angeles, with plans to quickly expand to additional cities.
Founded in 2016, Instawork is the leading flexible work app for local, hourly professionals. Its digital marketplace connects thousands of businesses and more than seven million workers, filling a critical role in local economies. Instawork has been featured on CBS News, the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Associated Press, and more. Instawork helps businesses in the food & beverage, hospitality, and warehouse/logistics industries fill temporary and permanent job opportunities in more than 40 markets across the U.S. and Canada. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
About Change Please
Change Please was founded in 2015 to address the growing issue of homelessness in the UK, and its catastrophic and draining effects on individuals and on society. An award-winning social enterprise, Change Please sells great tasting coffee and uses 100% of profits to power barista training and hospitality focused career development. We provide an early intervention, helping people build stability and avoid the risks of chronic homelessness. Since its inception, Change Please has expanded its reach, operating multiple locations across the UK, Europe, and the U.S., and has garnered recognition for its award-winning coffee and impactful social initiatives. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.
In a recent Reddit thread, user CanOfCorn308 shared a personal experience that highlights the ever-evolving debate on tipping etiquette in the U.S.
The man, a 21-year-old EMT, explained his stance on tipping, which generally supports those in the service industry earning less than minimum wage. However, he expressed reluctance when it came to tipping fast food workers, particularly when those workers earn substantially more than he does.
The heart of the matter unfolded at a local coffee place where he chose not to tip, leading to a confrontation and subsequent community backlash.
CanOfCorn308 writes, “I’m an EMT. We don’t get paid that great….I will not tip fast food workers. The majority of fast food places around my area pay $2-$11 more than I make an hour.” He shared an experience wherein he refused to tip at a coffee shop that paid its baristas $17/hr, sparking outrage from the barista who claimed he was acting “snobbish.”
CanOfCorn308 was later informed of a social media post criticizing him for his decision not to tip, alleging he “ruined someone’s day.”
The incident sparked various reactions from Reddit users. One user stated, “Tipping culture is out of hand right now. You’re pouring coffee and are upset that you’re not making $50k a year. Get a better job then.”
Another echoed the sentiment, saying, “I’d prefer to do away with the American tipping system altogether and pay servers actual wages. That barista was out of line. Let me know when she’s making less than minimum wage and depends on tips to survive.”
A stock image of a tip left at a restaurant. In a recent Reddit thread, a user shared a personal experience that highlights the ever-evolving debate on tipping etiquette in the U.S. iStock / Getty Images
Tipping culture in the United States has always been a topic of contention. The U.S. Department of Labor states that federal law permits employers to take a tip credit toward their minimum wage obligation for tipped employees. The maximum tip credit allowed is $5.12 per hour, which means that employers may pay a minimum of $2.13 per hour to tipped workers, provided they earn enough in tips to make up the difference.
This results in a heavy dependence on tips in many service industries.
However, a September article from CNBC on the findings of online restaurant platform Toast indicates that average tipping in restaurants has fallen to its lowest level since the start of the COVID pandemic.
As the lines blur between traditional sit-down service and fast-casual dining, the question of who should get tipped and how much becomes even more complicated. With some fast-food establishments paying above minimum wage and the rise of electronic tipping methods making it easier than ever to tip (or not), the debate continues.
Money in a jar. A Reddit post has ignited a debate about the appropriate times to tip workers. artisteer/istock
The incident shared by CanOfCorn308 serves as a microcosm of the broader tipping debate. While some argue that tipping should be a reflection of service quality, others feel it’s a societal obligation, irrespective of the nature of service or the wage of the worker.
However, as one Reddit user pointed out, understanding and empathy need to be at the forefront of any discussion. “It’s crucial to remember that every person we interact with, be it a server, a barista or an EMT, has their own struggles and story. While tipping can be discretionary, kindness should always be a given.”
Newsweek has contacted CanOfCorn308 for comment via Reddit.
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Steve Bannon, a one-time adviser to former President Donald Trump, has been sentenced to four months in prison for refusing to cooperate with lawmakers investigating last year’s U.S. Capitol attack. What do you think?
“I just hope prison doesn’t radicalize him.”
Juan Mejia, Event Security
“Will they grant his request for a special live-kitten diet?
Rex Smalls, Barista Recruiter
“I think he should take these four months to reflect on better ways to overthrow the government.”
