On Monday, three New York Police Department (NYPD) officers were hospitalized after consuming milkshakes containing bleach at the Fulton Transit Center Shake Shack.
Amid widespread anti-police protests, the milkshakes were thought to be intentionally tainted with bleach, however, an investigation revealed that the bleach wasn’t adequately removed from the shake machine after cleaning, according to NY Daily News.
The officers had drunk some of their milkshakes before realizing that the shakes were contaminated with a toxic substance. They were taken to Lower Manhattan Hospital for treatment.
“At some point during their meal period, the MOS [members of service] discovered that a toxic substance, believed to be bleach, had been placed in their beverages,” wrote Patrick Lynch, head of NYC’s Police Benevolent Association (PBA), in a letter to union members, as reported by Fox News. “The contamination was not discovered until the MOS had already ingested a portion of their beverages.”
The PBA initially thought the incident to be intentional and lamented on the critical danger facing police officers.
New York Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison announced via Twitter early Tuesday morning that the incident was found to be noncriminal.
“After a thorough investigation by the NYPD’s Manhattan South investigators, it has been determined that there was no criminality by shake shack’s employees,” Harrison said in a tweet.
After a thorough investigation by the NYPD’s Manhattan South investigators, it has been determined that there was no criminality by shake shack’s employees.
— Chief Rodney Harrison (@NYPDDetectives) June 16, 2020
Shake Shack responded in a tweet saying, “Our team is working hard to get the full picture. In the meantime, we’re relieved to hear the officers are all okay.”
Our team is working hard to get the full picture. In the meantime, we’re relieved to hear the officers are all okay. https://t.co/rjJYFSYjZc
— SHAKE SHACK (@shakeshack) June 16, 2020
The company had previously said it was “horrified” to learn of the incident.
We are horrified by the reports of police officers injured at our 200 Broadway Shack in Manhattan. We are working with the police in their investigation right now.
— SHAKE SHACK (@shakeshack) June 16, 2020
The PBA released another statement expressing their relief that the attack was not intentional, but urged officers to “remain vigilant at all times, both on and off duty.”
No additional individuals have come forward with complaints of contaminated milkshakes from that Shake Shack location.
