Dunkin’ Donuts has fired two workers who posted a video of themselves pouring water on a sleeping homeless customer in an upstate New York store.
Jeremy Youngs Dufresne, 25, said he was at the coffee shop in Syracuse on Sunday night to charge his phone to call his mother when one of the workers dumped water on his head.
He was startled and awakened as one of the workers laughed, with the video of the interaction posted to Facebook shortly afterward.
The company that owns the Dunkin’ location said it was ‘disturbed’ by the employees’ behavior, saying it ‘goes against our core values as an organization.’
A GoFundme page has raised more than $7,600 for Dufresne, who said he is homeless by choice and has schizophrenia.
Prosecutors say they are considering filing harassment charges against the workers.
The two cruel-hearted former Dunkin’ Donuts employees sealed their own fates by filming their rude prank.
Dufrense said the worker likely had ‘personal problems of his own’, and ‘he took it out on someone else, like me.’
Whatever the reason for the assault, it was all caught on camera and resulted in the two men losing their jobs.
At the start of the video, one thoughtless employee can be heard taunting Dufresne, saying ‘You want to sleep?’ before pouring a pitcher of water on his head as he’s fast asleep at one of the restaurant’s tables.
Another worker films the perpetrator, laughing as Dufresne gets woken up with a soaking wet shock and then quickly collects his phone and charger.
‘How many times I got to tell you to stop sleeping in here, my n***a? You here all day, you have enough time [in here] … How many times have the customers and the people going to tell you to stop sleeping in here?’ the employee who poured the water can be heard saying in the clip.
Dunkin’ Donuts has fired two workers who posted a video of themselves pouring water on sleeping homeless customer Jeremy Youngs Dufresne, 25, in the Syracuse, New York location where they worked
The shocking video shows the two male employees laugh as they pour a pitcher of water on Dufresne who fell asleep at his table on Sunday
Dufresne can be heard softly saying that he fell asleep on accident in the clip, but the workers push back against that claim.
‘No it wasn’t on accident bro. You know I’m not playing with you. I ain’t gonna call the cops like I said, you gotta get out of here,’ the employee warns.
The 36-second video was posted on Facebook on Sunday, where it went viral, racking up tens of thousands of shares and hundreds of thousands of views.
Dufresne said it was an accident then gathered his things and left the restaurant
Dufresne is a homeless man who often stops by the Dunkin’ located on North Salina Street in Syracuse to charge his phone
This employee berated Dufresne int he video saying he didn’t want to call the police so threw the water as a warning instead; Both employees involved in the video have been fired
A GoFundMe page has been launched to support Dufresne and has already raised more than $7,600; Dufresne is pictured in a Dunkin’ Donuts
Dufresne said he often stops by the Dunkin’ Donuts located on North Salina Street in Syracuse, where the water attack occured, to charge his phone. He said he lives outside because he prefers it and his family have tried to help him move in with them, according to Syracuse.com
His family added he suffers from schizophrenia.
After the incident, Dufresne left, later saying he harbors no ill feelings towards the people who poured water on him.
Others did not take the situation so lightly, with the site of the Syrcause store turning into a protest ground as advocates launched a boycott at the Dunkin’ Donuts.
On Monday, a homeless outreach group called We Rise Above the Street confronted the Dunkin’ Donuts location’s manager, with a group of about 20 people outside the store calling for the employees to be fired.
The viral video led to protest on Monday outside of the Dunkin’ Donuts on North Salina Street in Syracuse
Protesters rallied outside with signs on Monday demanding the employees in the video be fired
One protester carried the sign ‘Homeless Lives Matter’ to show his support for Dufresne
A Dunkin’ Donuts spokesperson told DailyMail.com they were ‘extremely disturbed’ by the video.
‘It not only violated our written policies, but goes against our core values as an organization — which include creating a welcoming and hospitable environment and treating everyone with dignity and respect,’ Dunkin’ Frachisee and Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Wolak said.
She said the company would be reaching out to Dufresne to apologize and also intends to work with local advocates to educate their staff on better engaging with homeless customers.
Those interested in donating to the fundraising campaign set up for Dufresne’s benefit may do so by clicking here.