Late Monday evening, Google confirmed that it had removed a wave of hostile “review bombs” targeting the McDonald’s restaurant where an employee played a key role in the arrest of the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The surge of one-star reviews appeared on Google Maps shortly after news broke that an employee at the Altoona McDonald’s tipped off authorities to the suspect’s location, per the NY Daily News.
The deluge included scathing comments that criticized everything from the restaurant’s service to its role in the unfolding investigation.
The McDonald’s, located on 17th Street in Altoona, Pa., became the focus of intense public attention after an unnamed employee recognized the suspect and alerted law enforcement. Police quickly apprehended the individual without incident, crediting the employee’s vigilance.
Despite the praise, some online commenters criticized the restaurant for allegedly “inserting itself into matters best left to police.” A few reviews went as far as accusing the employee of seeking attention, prompting an outcry on social media.
“Why are people dragging a McDonald’s for helping catch a killer?” asked a Twitter user. This employee deserves a medal, not bad Yelp reviews.”
As of Tuesday morning, the McDonald’s Google rating had returned to its pre-incident average of 4.1 stars.
The suspect remains in police custody, and an investigation into Thompson’s murder is ongoing.
#Clique, do snitches still get stitches these days?
