Man who raised knife to ‘belligerent’ Wendy’s customer claims he was ‘the hero’ in viral video

A man who was seen in a viral video holding a knife up to another customer in Wendy’s has given his account of what he claims happened. Speaking on the altercation that occurred on Tuesday morning in Northridge, LA, the man claimed that he “didn’t do anything wrong.”

The footage of the restaurant fight, which was posted across social media, went viral online on Tuesday. In the clip, a man is seen speaking with a customer in the Wendy’s who was seated at a table with his girlfriend. The customer then got up from the table and confronted the man. Later in the video, he is seen pulling out a knife and pointing it at the other man. The man is heard saying, “Are you gonna stab me?” 

According to KTLA 5, the man was seen talking with officers and claiming that the customer at the table had pulled a knife on him. The customer was later detained by the police. Speaking with NBC Los Angeles, the man, who has since been identified as Kyle Manfre, claimed he was “the hero” in the situation.

Kyle gives his account of the Wendy’s altercation

According to Kyle, he “was sitting, having breakfast with my girlfriend, and we were at Wendy’s, and we were saying grace,” when a man entered the fast-food chain and began “harassing the staff hardcore.” Other customers in the store reportedly agreed with his account of the incident.

One witness, Jesus Lepit, said that there was what he called “a belligerent customer” who had been arguing with the Wendy’s employees. He said he went to use the restroom and when he came back out, “the customer was still talking to the employees, arguing with them about random stuff. And then that’s when he decided to come up to a couple that was minding their own business, eating their breakfast.”

According to Manfre, the man got “right in his face” and repeatedly asked him, “What are you going to do about it?” He claimed that the man tried to hit him with a chair, which was when he pulled his knife out.

“I was victimized, and I protected myself,” he said. “I brandished a knife. I didn’t use it. I didn’t commit any form of felony.” However, the Los Angeles Police Department has referred to the other man as the victim, and arrested Manfre on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

But Manfre has maintained that he did nothing wrong, telling NBC Los Angeles, “I’m a hero who saved my girl, my girlfriend, and everyone at that establishment.” He also spoke out against his arrest, saying, “I’m being branded and charged as a villain.”