Teh One Who Knocks
02-28-2012, 11:40 AM
By Stephen Babcock, The Times-Picayune
http://i.imgur.com/XonTK.jpg
A chaotic scene erupted outside a cluster of Uptown food and drink businesses during the lunch hour Monday, as an employee of a popular Mexican restaurant fired shots while another was dragged by a vehicle after a customer who tried to pass a counterfeit bill stole a cell phone, New Orleans police said. No one was hurt by gunfire in the incident.
It all unfolded outside the Uptown location of Elio's Wine Warehouse and Felipe's Taqueria in the 6200 block of South Miro Street just after 12:30 p.m., according to New Orleans police spokeswoman Hilal Williams.
After walking through Felipe's, a man entered Elio's Wine Warehouse and tried to buy a beer with a counterfeit $50 bill.
An employee recognized that the money was phony, and told the store's manager, who tried to call police with a cell phone.
The man grabbed the cell phone and fled the scene in a car. As the man was trying to escape, employees from Felipe's tried to stop him. One employee caught up with the car, and ended up being dragged by the vehicle.
Another employee then came out of the restaurant to give chase, and fired several shots at the vehicle, Williams said.
The alleged counterfeiter successfully escaped after the first employee let go of the vehicle. That employee was treated for injuries suffered in the dragging, and is in stable condition, Williams said.
No one was arrested in the incident, which occurred in an area near South Claiborne Avenue and Calhoun Street that is also home to two other pizza businesses and other shops, Williams said.
Representatives from Felipe's and Elio's declined comment Monday afternoon.
http://i.imgur.com/XonTK.jpg
A chaotic scene erupted outside a cluster of Uptown food and drink businesses during the lunch hour Monday, as an employee of a popular Mexican restaurant fired shots while another was dragged by a vehicle after a customer who tried to pass a counterfeit bill stole a cell phone, New Orleans police said. No one was hurt by gunfire in the incident.
It all unfolded outside the Uptown location of Elio's Wine Warehouse and Felipe's Taqueria in the 6200 block of South Miro Street just after 12:30 p.m., according to New Orleans police spokeswoman Hilal Williams.
After walking through Felipe's, a man entered Elio's Wine Warehouse and tried to buy a beer with a counterfeit $50 bill.
An employee recognized that the money was phony, and told the store's manager, who tried to call police with a cell phone.
The man grabbed the cell phone and fled the scene in a car. As the man was trying to escape, employees from Felipe's tried to stop him. One employee caught up with the car, and ended up being dragged by the vehicle.
Another employee then came out of the restaurant to give chase, and fired several shots at the vehicle, Williams said.
The alleged counterfeiter successfully escaped after the first employee let go of the vehicle. That employee was treated for injuries suffered in the dragging, and is in stable condition, Williams said.
No one was arrested in the incident, which occurred in an area near South Claiborne Avenue and Calhoun Street that is also home to two other pizza businesses and other shops, Williams said.
Representatives from Felipe's and Elio's declined comment Monday afternoon.