Police in Colorado have found “no evidence” that Taco Bell personnel were responsible for the presence of rat poison in a burrito consumed by a violently ill customer.
The man was hospitalized on Sunday after devouring a burrito from the Aurora location of the fast food chain. The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office later stated that the burrito contained poison.
There was enough rat poison detected that “it would have been very dangerous to our victim’s health,” according to Deputy John Bartmann, and authorities characterized the case as “criminal attempt homicide.”
In an update released on Friday, the sheriff’s office stated that after analyzing camera footage, investigators discovered “no evidence that the employees were responsible for placing the rat poison in the customer’s food.”
Before falling unwell, the customer reportedly argued with Taco Bell employees about his food order. The restaurant’s manager, Larry Swift, told CBS Colorado that the man was upset that a drink station was broken and demanded “something for free.”
The argument was significant enough for the eatery to call the police. Swift stated that he received three bean burritos and then received the fourth one for free.
Several hours later, at 7 p.m., when the man ate his dinner at home, police say he began to vomit. At the hospital, deputies observed a greenish-gray substance in the burrito from which a client had taken a bite.
Testing verified the presence of rat poison in the man’s diet, but “investigators cannot explain how it got into the food,” according to the sheriff’s office.
ACSO inspected the man’s remaining meal and closed the Taco Bell while conducting an investigation; the establishment reopened following a health inspection.
Swift told CBS, “We do not carry poison in the restaurant.” “We did not engage in such conduct. It did not even make sense. It is ludicrous.
According to the sheriff’s office, investigators have attempted to contact the consumer through phone but have been unable to do so. On Thursday, they went to the man’s residence but received no response.
The police are requesting that the man contact the sheriff’s office if he has any other information.
»Cops discover ‘no evidence.’ Taco Bell employees threw rat poison into a man’s dinner«