Fired SoFi Stadium Worker Apologizes For Flipping Vendor Carts, Injuring 12-Year-Old Girl
A SoFi Stadium guest experience worker was fired after allegedly knocking over two food vendor carts and injuring a 12-year-old girl.
A harrowing video shows the incident’s aftermath, including a $500 loss in hot dogs, bread and other supplies thrown on the street.
Former SoFi Stadium worker Marvin Carroll allegedly got “very aggressive” with the street vendors
The scene occurred Saturday, June 3 after a Romeo Santos concert held at SoFi Stadium. As the family who owns one of the affected stands told KTLA, the 12-year-old girl was holding the cart when the man knocked it over.
In effect, she sustained an injury. The accused former worker is speaking out, saying it was “never [his] intent to harm any kids.”
As reported by KTLA, the SoFi Stadium worker identified as Marvin Carroll was fired after the incident.
He reportedly shoved two food carts, including a hot dog stand and injured the 12-year-old daughter of a vendor.
The owner of one cart, Lesbia Tol Morales, told the outlet she had left to go to the bathroom at the time of the incident. She left her three children in charge for just a moment, which is when her 12-year-old daughter was hurt.
Meanwhile, the mother told KGET, “I think [Carroll] should have called to apologize to my daughter and me.”
Morales’ daughter, Marlene Roquel, sat down with KGET to discuss the incident which led to her injury. She explained, “He grabbed another vendor’s cart and threw it. Then he walked, got my cart, and shoved it, too.”
Roquel described how she hurt her fingers and legs when the worker pushed the cart. Meanwhile, her mother says her daughter had bruises.
Another one of the vendors named Luis Franco, told ABC that the stadium worker initially asked them to move their carts back. Franco says that they agreed, but the worker later became aggressive.
“He said you want to see me mad, you want to see mad,” the vendor recalled. “And at that moment he started throwing the carts.”
Graciee Sifuentes, who recorded a video on the scene, told NBC, that the perpetrator was “being very aggressive.”
This week, Carroll said in a press conference that it was “never [his] intent to harm any kids”
The video of the occurrence shows the frustrating events that ensued, including Carroll reportedly leaving the scene. It also shows the vendors asking authorities, “You guys aren’t going to do anything?”
SoFi Stadium released a statement explaining that Carroll was a “third-party vendor” who has “since been terminated.”
They explained, “We are aware that an incident occurred Saturday night outside of the stadium and are working with law enforcement to look into the matter.”
“Maintaining a safe environment is our number one priority,” they said. “And we will continue to regularly evaluate staffing and protocols across all of our vendors.”
As per NBC, a police report was filed. Inglewood Police said Carroll has not been arrested, but there is an investigation underway.
Meanwhile, Carroll issued an apology in a press conference on Wednesday alongside civil rights activists.
The former stadium worker said, “It was never my intent to harm any kids, if they were harmed. So I express my apologies to them.”
He also described the incident from his perspective: “I asked him multiple times to step back. He began to get irate and to talk, you know, and to disrespect me.”
“I did not push the cart. There’s a video camera,” he explained. “Once they release the video camera you’ll be able to see.”
A Project Islamic Hope press release described moves they are making to help street vendors following the incident.
“The victims can’t feed their children and families with an apology,” they said. “That’s why our coalition of African American leaders are calling for a L.A. County and City-wide effort to patronize street vendors.”
Still, as mother and street vendor Morales told NBC, “It’s very hard to see someone treat your children badly.”
She then gave a comment so many of us can identify with. “As migrants, we come here to fight. We don’t come to steal. We live here fighting day after day and it’s a shame there are people like this.”
