Man booted from Starbucks tries locking people inside with chain, Louisiana cops say

A disgruntled man is accused of terrorizing Starbucks customers when he put a chain on the door to seal them inside, according to investigators in Louisiana.

It happened early Wednesday, Aug. 21, in Slidell, about a 35-mile drive northeast from New Orleans.

“Officers responded to Starbucks at the Fremaux Town Center entrance regarding a male subject locking customers and employees inside the business with a bicycle chain lock,” the Slidell Police Department said in a news release.

“After placing the lock on the front doors, the male subject left the area,” police said. “Thankfully, those inside the business were able to use a secondary door to get out of the business.”

A search of the heavily commercial area led police to a 23-year-old man who was arrested and charged with terrorizing, attempted false imprisonment and criminal mischief, police said.

Terrorizing is defined as intentionally intimidating or threatening “members of the general public to be in sustained fear for their safety,” including causing the evacuation of a buildings.

Investigators say the suspect “committed this criminal act due to being previously dispersed from the property,” which is a free-standing building.

The reason he had been ordered to leave the property was not revealed.

Investigators did not say how many customers were in the store when the door was chained.

This story was originally published August 22, 2024 at 4:50 AM with the headline "Man booted from Starbucks tries locking people inside with chain, Louisiana cops say."