Watch: Grandmother uses table to fight off violent restaurant customer

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — A grandmother who owns a San Francisco restaurant is in the spotlight after using a table as a battering ram to deal with a violent customer.

Surveillance video from Doris Campos’ restaurant shows how fast the confrontation unfolded. Campos said she needed to protect her family from a threatening customer.

“I had been in the kitchen cooking and heard a noise. I see a lady fighting with my daughter. She didn’t pay any attention to me; she just wanted to hit my daughter,” Campos said. 

Video shows the woman pick up a large bottle of hand sanitizer and throw it at Campos’ daughter, Doris Vargas, who was holding Campos’ 2-year-old grandson. 

“It came real close,” Campos said. “I see that and I know I need to do something. I wasn’t thinking, but knew I had to do something,” Campos said.

She swiftly lifted up a table that had been handcrafted by her cousin.

“I just picked it up to move her,” Campos said.

“I always knew she was strong and would do whatever to protect her children and grandchildren,” Campos’ daughter said.

Campos has owned Panchitas in San Francisco for 32 years. She says nothing like this has ever happened before.

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