Cop Celebrating Birthday At Olive Garden Kicked Out Because Of Duty Firearm
A uniformed cop hoping to celebrate his birthday with lunch at Olive Garden in Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday was kicked out because of his duty firearm.
As Officer Michael Holsworth waited for his family to arrive, a hostess spotted his holstered handgun and asked the decorated officer to leave the restaurant immediately.
Holsworth ranted on Facebook after the incident: "I never in my wildest thoughts would [have] thought this would happen in the Kansas City area. I see it happening all over the United States to other officers, but never thought it would [have] happened to me."
Even though the hostess told Holsworth guns were prohibited in the restaurant, it is legal to openly carry handguns in Missouri. And of course, this incident sparked much outrage led by the city's Fraternal Order of Police, which promised to organize protests outside the Kansas City Olive Garden.
Olive Garden insists it was a "misunderstanding," and the chain's president, Dave George, has since called Holsworth to apologize.
According to city records, Holswroth earned his department's Distinguished Service Medal in 2014 for being one of 3 officers who shot and killed a burglar linked to a triple homicide.