Subway Worker Defends Herself Using Robber’s Own Gun, Suspended by Company

A woman in Rockford, Illinois, has been suspended by Subway for defending herself from an armed robber.

The woman, Araceli Sotelo, was being robbed at gunpoint as the lone employee in the restaurant at the time. The robber was demanding money Sotelo says she did not have.

The man, who has not yet been identified or found by police, was smaller than Sotelo. Sotelo says she used her size to help fight the man off in the scuffle.

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Here is what Sotelo said according to Fox 8 in Illinois,

He was smaller than me, so I have that advantage. I’m bigger than him, so I could at least put my weight on him, push him, or something.

While Sotelo was fighting the man off, his firearm came out of his hand and landed on the ground.

Sotelo seized the opportunity and picked up the gun. She then began hitting the robber in the head with his own firearm.

When the robber lost his gun, his demeanor quickly changed, and he began begging for his own belongings back. Sotelo says the man fled but did take her purse with him. Her phone was also broken during the struggle.

Video footage of the incident shows the heroic struggle Sotelo had with the robber. Take a look:

Typically, employees working for these big corporations are suspended because they bring their own firearms to work. In addition, most major corporations have policies that prohibit employees from defending themselves.

Sadly, Sotelo is being fired for simply grabbing the robber’s firearm so he couldn’t shoot her with it.

Sotelo could have easily defended herself with the robber’s firearm, but she did not and was still suspended. What justification is Subway giving for an employee protecting herself and the store?

Since the suspension happened, Sotelo’s mom has launched a Go Fund Me to raise money for a legal defense which has already raised more than $15,000 to help her daughter.

What do you think of Subway’s decision to suspend Sotelo, and do you think she did the right thing in fighting back? Let us know in the comments below.

59 comments

    1. She did not do any wrong. She shodbe praised, given a raise and a bonus. Subway snowflakes are pansies and wrong minded.

    2. I used to love Subway, but have avoided them since they are paying that Flag hating traitor. This is just another reason to avoid that place.

  1. If she feels like she can defend herself then do so. There should ALWAYS be more than one staff. If that can’t be afforded then maybe you can afford to own a business.

    She should be rewarded!

    Shame on you #Subway

  2. SubWay is a has-been entity anyways after the whole whole pink-haired idiot fiasco!!
    To fire/suspend this employee for grabbing the criminal’s own gun, then not even shooting him with it is unbelievably stupid!!!!

  3. everyone has the right to defend themselves, if you ask me the robber got off easy. I believe Subway is in the wrong and as for me i will no longer give Subway my business.

  4. I used to work at Subway and often times was running the store alone which is dangerous. He is lucky she didn’t shoot him because I certainly would have shot his ass.

  5. No other customers or employees in the store. Just her and an armed assailant. She had every reason to fear for her life and every reason to defend her life against this gun wielding thug.

  6. Was already not eating there anymore because of the Olympic soccer girl ad, but this just kills it for me and my friends.

  7. Subway certainly didn’t need *this* nail in its coffin…
    First Megan Rapinoe, and now suspending an honest employee for defending THEIR store…
    Guess they just *want* to go under…

  8. That’s crazy, she was defending herself and they fired her for that! If I were her I would Sue subway. I know I will never buy from anything from subway again!!! ?

  9. Subway has been SUB-PAR in my opinion for far too many years. Not just with their food but their management with their anti-American agenda. I feel very positively that they’ve put another nail in their coffin with this. You’d think they’d have wised up at least a little after their last purple haired fiasco. I can assuredly state that my family and everyone that we associate with are patronizing our locally owned sandwich shops only and hope that the Subway execs reap exactly what they have sown.

  10. Well She did well I would have capped the robber . It looks like that subway doesn’t value their employees lives. After the pink haired girl who is anti American This has finished them for me. I’ll go to wegmans for my subs.

  11. Dam right to self defense none has the right to put her life in harms way. Subway put her in a bad situation only one employee uhh. She has a right of a law suit as well im in GEORGIA and will start a Boycott rally at local subways they have decided to go all woke good to know now be prepared to go all broke. As for the young lady just to say if it was me I had turn the gun on him my life is worth more than a handful of dollar ??bills

  12. Thank God she is OK. I would have done the same thing! Company policy BE DAMNED! The protection of MY LIFE is MY decision!!

    1. Subway is wrong for having only one employee! All employees should sue Subway for safety reasons. This woman was defending her life. I would have done the same thing.
      However, I will never work at Subway, knowing they don’t back up their employees.

  13. That is corporate America for you. They only care about themselves. These are the type jobs that say they can’t keep employees and have to close early. Well I wonder why. The sad part is that girl probably was not making much money working their. Every American citizen should have the right to defend themselves, I don’t care if you are working. That girl should be rewarded in my opinion, because she made sure that guy did not rob the store. I’m done with subway. Subway food sucks anyway.

  14. She was in her rights to shoot the intruder, he crossed over the line he invaded her home her lively hood any invasion should be met with forcefully share tell like at our border right is right wrong us wrong I hope she sues the subway fir millions I won’t eat at subway anymore I

  15. I worked for O’Reilly’s for 3 years and their Policies regarding robbery and thieves really confused me but it’s all of Corporate America. These companies do not want employees to defend themselves.
    As far as I am concerned any that brings a weapon into my place of employment their life is forfeit! Many a discussion my Manager and I had over my 3 three years. I always told managers regarding thieves if they had an accident, doing a FACEPLANT I’ll say they TRIPPED, SLIPPED and Fell! That would be my story and I’ll stick to it!

  16. She had a right to defend her life!!!!! Between this and the Megan Rapino spoke person spots. I will.never spend my money in sub way ever again. No big loss the subs suck anyways.

  17. Subway had already lost me for using the America hating, pink haired soccer player as a spokesperson and after reading this, I feel I’ve made the right choice. Props to the woman for defending herself and I know that there are better jobs on the horizon for her from companies that stand up for their employees.

  18. Time to boycott subway I will not buy anything from them again people please take the and realize what is go on !!!!!!!!! Time Woke is broke

  19. First they have anti Americans doing their commercials, and now they don’t stand behind their employees. I will never step foot in one again !

  20. I would’ve shot hm!She did what she and every other person is in the right to do,Defend themselves!Plus she ised discretion in killing him!

  21. Sooo….in a Life or Death Struggle, Subway deems it unnecessary for it’s Employees to survive their respective Job Shifts..???? Really..?!?? What do they think a Purple Haired, Gay, Repulsive Female Soccer Schmuck would have done to protect her own life..??? Subway, you suck…and that’s putting it nicely. Bye Felicia, I won’t be purchasing ANYTHING from this pathetic excuse for an American Business again. Period.

  22. First of all, your spokeswoman the Olympian is a disgrace to America. Now you tell your employees they can’t defend them selves against a criminal with a weapon that could kill them!! Subway you suck!!! I won’t be doing business with your stores anymore!!!!!!

  23. First Subway has a pedophile endorsing them. Then athletes who take a knee when national anthem is played. Now this. The girl had every right to defend herself. I quit going to Subway after the athletes started endorsing them. They need to start clearing out their head office. They need help there in the worst way.

  24. Absolutely had every right to defend herself. As a combat trained, former U.S. Army Military Police veteran. That individual was lucky she only pistol whipped them. It could have been far worse. And justifiably so. SUBWAY apparently cares more about profit than it does it’s employees. Love their product. Despise their management policies. As I do the “knee-takers”. God Bless America, and Our Military. Our National Anthem and Our Flag, “Old Glory”. And shame on SUBWAY!

  25. She had to work alone without security. Luckily the punk was small and stupid, or she wouldn’t be around to be fired. Bah bye Subway. You can join Ben & Jerry’s.

  26. Subway thinks an employee shouldn’t defend themselves, huh? If they were any kind of a good employer, this woman would have gotten an award and reward! This is how you stand up for your employees? After Rapinoe, now this? I agree with a boycott.

  27. If an employer wants to strip an employee of their right to defend themselves then that employer had better make sure they have the proper security in place to do for the employees what the employer forbids the employee to do for themselves.

    PS. Personally, I believe that no employer has the legal right to strip an employee of the employees own right to defend themselves.

  28. It’s very disturbing to learn that Subway expected an employee to forfeit her life rather than defending herself from an armed criminal.
    I’ll never again set foot in any of their stores.

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