WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, Ohio — More than two weeks after shots erupted outside an Olive Garden, a manager who was working that night is speaking out — saying she was terminated for no reason.
Rufina Biber, also known as “Fifi,” worked at Olive Garden for nine years.
“I love that place. I was dedicated to that place,” Biber said. “It's just too hard to walk in there knowing that that's not my place.”
But now, she’s left without a job after a shooting on February 23 at the Warrensville Heights location.
RELATED: 2 people shot at Warrensville Heights Olive Garden
“It's something that I'm going to forever think about,” said Biber.
Biber was the manager on duty that night.
She told News 5 that a former employee came in and got into a verbal altercation with a current staffer, and that's when Biber called the general manager for guidance.
“She told me to make sure that I kick him out, which I already did,” said Biber.
But when closing time arrived, Biber says she opened the door — and that’s when gunfire erupted.
“Mind you, I'm ducking. I'm trying to hide myself. I've never been in a situation like that,” said Biber.
Warrensville Heights Police said two people were injured in that shooting, and two people have been charged.
The next day, she was told she was under investigation. Two weeks later, she was fired.
“I asked her, ‘what was the grounds for it?’ And she said that it was because I didn't call the police,” said Biber.
When we asked Biber if she called the police, she said she did immediately after the shooting.
“I feel like termination was kind of harsh, because I really feel like they're putting the blame on me, and I just, I don't like that,” said Biber.
Biber says she doesn’t want her job back — just hopes no one else is treated the same.
“I will forever think, like, what could I have done differently," Biber said. “I don't want to work for a company that's going to treat their team members and employees and managers like this.”
Olive Garden issued the following statement about the matter:
"We are grateful no one was seriously injured in the senseless shooting that took place outside our restaurant. We separated with Ms. Biber after a thorough internal investigation into the events of that evening. If Ms. Biber chooses, we have a robust framework that she can use to dispute her termination."
Nadeen Abusada is a Cuyahoga County and immigration reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Instagram NadeenAbusada or email her at Nadeen.Abusada@wews.com.
