After Customer Crosses The Line, Barista Smashes His Windshield
A barista at a drive-through coffee stand in South Seattle used a hammer to shatter a customer’s windshield following a heated verbal altercation with the man.
Emma Lee, the owner and sole employee of the coffee stand Taste of Heaven Espresso, claims that the customer threatened her on Tuesday (June 11) after being displeased with the price of the coffee he had ordered.
- A barista at a drive-through coffee stand in South Seattle used a hammer to shatter a customer's windshield after the man allegedly threatened her.
- Emma Lee said the customer became violent over the price of the coffee.
- After the incident, Lee called the police, and they made the customer leave the premises.
Other customers tried to calm the man down for 10 minutes, but he remained agitated and continued to display violent behavior.
At one point, the customer threw his drinks back at Lee as she closed the drive-through window.
A barista at a drive-through coffee stand smashed a customer’s windshield using a hammer after he threatened her and threw his coffee at her

Image credits: Nathan Dumlao/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
Image credits: KIRO 7
Lee explained that the man had told her, “Nobody’s going to miss you,” before he threw his coffee, a comment she understood to be a threat.
“Disrespect and violence are two different things. I can handle the disrespect. The violence, that’s where the line is crossed,” the worker toldKIRO 7.
“It’s one thing to yell, it’s one thing to get mad, it’s one thing to even be outside of your car and try to threaten me. But to actually have the action behind it, it changed things for me where I was like, ‘Oh no.'”
Emma Lee explained that the man told her, “Nobody’s going to miss you” during the verbal altercation
Image credits: KIRO 7
Image credits: KIRO 7
The barista then grabbed a hammer and smashed it into the man’s windshield.
The customer reportedly drove off but refused to leave the premises, leading Lee to call the police.
“The police came, and they got him to leave. It was understood that what happened is he assaulted me, and I responded,” she explained.
The man reportedly became aggressive after he found out that the coffee he had ordered was too expensive
Image credits: KIRO 7
“Disrespect and violence are two different things. I can handle the disrespect. The violence, that’s where the line is crossed,” the worker said
Image credits: KIRO 7
Image credits: KIRO 7
Speaking on the local broadcast, Lee encouraged other women to stand up for themselves against instances of assault.
“I know so many women that haven’t defended themselves in situations they definitely should have and could have because we know that the repercussion, more likely than not, is going to fall on the woman that responds to the violence than the initial violence inflicted.
“At what point are we told we’re supposed to just wait for it to get worse?”
No arrests have been made following the incident.
Many people supported Lee for standing up for herself after being threatened
Poll Question
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I came here to upvote everyone who agrees with the woman. To all the others - what is wrong with you? Would you have the same reaction if this was two males? Would you have the same reaction to a buly?
There must be a pretty awful customer among us downvoting almost everyone. 🤣
She had the hammer within reach! That wasn’t her first rodeo with a d-bag customer.
As a former shop owner, yes, I had a hammer behind my desk. And yes, I'm a woman.
Load More Replies...I read this funny quote somewhere and I think it applies here. "It was the f*ck-aroundiest of times, it was the find-outies of times."
Well maybe that guy learned actions do have consequences. He was starting a fight...
So he ordered a drink (presumably knowing how much it would cost), paid for said drink (I've never been given food at a drive through without first paying), and then wasted said drink by pouring it on someone who has exactly 0 input into prices.
It’s weird that at the same time people are getting absurdly sensitive, they also seem to be getting more aggressive and violent. I refuse to believe the price of the coffee wasn’t posted for him to see. She’s my hero! ❤️
He's guilty of assault, she's guilty of destruction of property. Both looking at potential charges, right or wrong.
Well there's a misogynist here having a fine old time with the down vote button..... Tonnes down voted. Someone's in a bit of a tissy aren't you dear??
So, if you watch the actual video, he throws two cups of coffee at the CLOSED window. You can clearly see ice from the first cup bouncing off it. Only after he throws the second cup do you see her OPEN the window and smash his windshield with the hammer. So, what part of throwing liquid at a CLOSED window would be considered assault?
The fact he said "Nobody's going to miss you" right before taking such actions.
Load More Replies...Seriously, don't throw s**t at your waitstaff, bartenders, baristas etc.
By retaliation with a hammer against property it was clearly established this was not self defense. The police could have charged both but instead choice neither. Both though have valid civil cases. A judge would likely rule each liable. If the damages where equal it would be no net judgement. But the costs of damage to the car is might greater than that of the coffee stain. She appears to admit guilt to the reporter, so if this is pursued in court she likely will find it an expense bit of revenge.
That's it? The police asked him to leave? Thwt's all they did? The guy should have been handcuffed on the hood of his car
In my 100% honest opinion, as a woman for 52 years and a service worker for 35 of those, service peope in general, but especially FEMALE service workers shoud start doing this regularly. If we star making it expensively clear this kind of BS behavior is not going to be tolerated, I bet you dollars to doughnuts it will stop being as big of a problem.
Her reaction was the violent one and she should be fired and forced to pay for repairing the damage she caused.
Bear spray sucks, especially if you're spraying it in an enclosed space. I had two coworkers find a can once when I was working as a housekeeper in my teen years. They sprayed it in the employee bathroom... and 3 hours later I had to go to the doctor with some mighty sensitive burns after using that bathroom.
Load More Replies...I wish they reported what lead up to the whole confrontation. I don't condone the actions of either party based on this info.
I came here to upvote everyone who agrees with the woman. To all the others - what is wrong with you? Would you have the same reaction if this was two males? Would you have the same reaction to a buly?
There must be a pretty awful customer among us downvoting almost everyone. 🤣
She had the hammer within reach! That wasn’t her first rodeo with a d-bag customer.
As a former shop owner, yes, I had a hammer behind my desk. And yes, I'm a woman.
Load More Replies...I read this funny quote somewhere and I think it applies here. "It was the f*ck-aroundiest of times, it was the find-outies of times."
Well maybe that guy learned actions do have consequences. He was starting a fight...
So he ordered a drink (presumably knowing how much it would cost), paid for said drink (I've never been given food at a drive through without first paying), and then wasted said drink by pouring it on someone who has exactly 0 input into prices.
It’s weird that at the same time people are getting absurdly sensitive, they also seem to be getting more aggressive and violent. I refuse to believe the price of the coffee wasn’t posted for him to see. She’s my hero! ❤️
He's guilty of assault, she's guilty of destruction of property. Both looking at potential charges, right or wrong.
Well there's a misogynist here having a fine old time with the down vote button..... Tonnes down voted. Someone's in a bit of a tissy aren't you dear??
So, if you watch the actual video, he throws two cups of coffee at the CLOSED window. You can clearly see ice from the first cup bouncing off it. Only after he throws the second cup do you see her OPEN the window and smash his windshield with the hammer. So, what part of throwing liquid at a CLOSED window would be considered assault?
The fact he said "Nobody's going to miss you" right before taking such actions.
Load More Replies...Seriously, don't throw s**t at your waitstaff, bartenders, baristas etc.
By retaliation with a hammer against property it was clearly established this was not self defense. The police could have charged both but instead choice neither. Both though have valid civil cases. A judge would likely rule each liable. If the damages where equal it would be no net judgement. But the costs of damage to the car is might greater than that of the coffee stain. She appears to admit guilt to the reporter, so if this is pursued in court she likely will find it an expense bit of revenge.
That's it? The police asked him to leave? Thwt's all they did? The guy should have been handcuffed on the hood of his car
In my 100% honest opinion, as a woman for 52 years and a service worker for 35 of those, service peope in general, but especially FEMALE service workers shoud start doing this regularly. If we star making it expensively clear this kind of BS behavior is not going to be tolerated, I bet you dollars to doughnuts it will stop being as big of a problem.
Her reaction was the violent one and she should be fired and forced to pay for repairing the damage she caused.
Bear spray sucks, especially if you're spraying it in an enclosed space. I had two coworkers find a can once when I was working as a housekeeper in my teen years. They sprayed it in the employee bathroom... and 3 hours later I had to go to the doctor with some mighty sensitive burns after using that bathroom.
Load More Replies...I wish they reported what lead up to the whole confrontation. I don't condone the actions of either party based on this info.




















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