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I know launched a criminal investigation in Colorado after a man who ate food at a Taco Bell branch became seriously ill because the dish he ordered was laced with rat poisonaccording to local reports.
The man became “severely ill” on Sunday around 7 p.m. after eating burritos from the fast food joint in Auroraauthorities reported, according to CBS Colorado.
“Right now, what we’re looking at is whether the rat poison was actually put into his food at the restaurant,” Sheriff John Bartmann said of the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. “We don’t know if it was at this time.”
A spokesman for the sheriff’s office told the station that the man’s life could have been at risk. The case is classified as “intentional homicide attempt”according to the authorities.
According to reports, the victim stopped by the Taco Bell earlier in the day and argued with the workers about her food order.
The restaurant’s manager, Lary Swift, told CBS Colorado that eThe man was upset that a drink station was not working and demanded “something free”.
He received three bean burritos and then got a fourth free of charge, Swift said.
The argument became so heated that officers had to be called before the man got his free meal and left, KHOU reported.
Hours later is when the man ate food at his home and became ill, according to police.
Enough rat poison was found that “it would have been very serious to our victim’s health,” Bartmann told the station.
Police said a gray-green substance was found in the food that looked like a foreign substance, according to the Denver Post. Leftovers from the meal are reportedly being tested.
The Taco Bell location involved was shut down Sunday by officers, but Swift denied any deliberate wrongdoing by her staff.
“We don’t carry poison in the restaurant,” he told CBS. “We didn’t do any of that. She didn’t even fit. It’s ridiculous.”
Surveillance footage has been released to investigators and other evidence will also be reviewed.
Taco Bell said in a statement that safety is important to them.
“The safety of customers and team members is a priority,” the company said, according to KHOU.
“The franchisor who owns and operates this location has informed us that they are working with local authorities on their investigation.”
Authorities are treating the investigation as if the man received Taco Bell food laced with rat poison, though how the poison got into his food is under investigation, the television station reported. Taco Bell has reportedly been allowed to reopen after a health inspection was completed.
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