5:45 PM PT – The Chipotle President and CEO has already launched an investigation into the incident at the scene in Florence, SC.
Brian Niccol He says TMZ Sports“We have a zero tolerance policy for any type of discrimination and we have suspended our manager while conducting a thorough investigation.”
Niccol says he has personally contacted Darius, “and I am committed to ensuring that appropriate action is taken once the investigation is complete.”
Indianapolis Colts superstar linebacker Darius Leonard He claims that he was mistakenly removed from a Chipotle restaurant in South Carolina … insisting that everything is because he is black.
All-Pro, 24, said he was eating with his family Thursday, “3 other black men and a mixed woman,” when another client (who is white) complained to management that Leonard was “verbally abusing he”. “
Leonard says the accusation is a direct lie, but the restaurant manager approached his table and treated him like a criminal anyway … kicked him out of the restaurant and threatened to call the police.
Leonard says what really bothers him is that the white boss got the benefit of the doubt without a shred of evidence, and he says this is the kind of garbage blacks have to deal with all the time.
“We’re talking about Black Lives Matter and the boy looking at us and lying and laughing in our faces as we go out and the manger … just come here and basically kick us out of Chipotle? And, we felt he was very disrespectful and that’s the white privilege we’re talking about. “
“We are tired of this,” says Leonard … “I am telling you about what happened as a black man in the United States. You will not understand what happened.”
“You will see that the police are killing us. You will see all the injustices we go through. I live it. Day after day. And I am tired of it. Yes, I am upset. I am tired of it.”
We approached the Chipotle where the incident occurred, but offered no comment. We also contacted the corporate office, but so far we have received no news.
Originally Posted – 2:57 PM PT