Mandella Market: Workers fired after alleged assault

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Following an alleged assault where witnesses said a woman was attacked by store workers at Buffalo’s Mandella Market, every employee involved in the incident was fired, the market announced.

The alleged incident took place on Tuesday night at the market on Jefferson Avenue and Broadway Avenue. On Thursday, Battina Williams, the woman who said she was attacked, spoke publicly about the incident.

Mandella Market released the following statement on Friday, saying that it was “deeply embarrassed and disgusted with the events that occurred,” that the store will remain closed until further notice and will appoint new management.

In addition, the market said future employees will be required to participate in conflict resolution training.

Witness Jaelin Watson said that the men used a metal stick, striking Williams. He intervened in the incident and provided images taken from a video obtained by WIVB News 4.

“It wasn’t that serious for any of that to go down, I could tell you that,” Watson said Thursday. “There were seven to ten men in the store total attacking her, three that I stopped.”

Since the alleged incident, the city has taped a “Cease All Operations” sign on the market.