Subway Worker Suspended After Fending Off Robber

Owner suggested she leaked video
By Josh Gardner,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 12, 2021 6:15 AM CDT

An employee at an Illinois Subway sandwich restaurant who was the victim of an attempted robbery successfully fought off an armed robber but now she's the one being punished. Per WTVO, Araceli Sotelo was working alone at a Rockford location of the chain when a man entered and demanded money. Sotelo said she didn't have any, which is when the man reportedly tried to take her purse. Fearing for her life, and realizing she was bigger than the attempted thief, Sotelo said she chose to fight. Per TMZ, Sotelo managed to rip off the man's sweatshirt, take his gun, then hit him in the head with it. When the man fled, he took Sotelo's purse with him but she was unharmed.

When Sotelo was subsequently contacted by her boss, it was not to wish her well. According to WTVO, the owner instead suggested Sotelo had leaked the security video, which has circulated widely online. Her boss reportedly told her she would be suspended until the video was wiped from the internet. Sotelo claims she did not leak the footage, however her personal TikTok does feature a portion of the video. Now without an income and with no phone because it was broken during the scuffle, Sotelo and her family are turning to GoFundMe where Sotelo's mother has pleaded for donations that will be "used towards an Attorney and lost wages." As of Sunday morning, over $9,000 of a $10,000 had been raised. (More strange stuff stories.)

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