A McDonald’s worker was counting the money at the end of his shift when he was senselessly attacked by a co-worker who threw hot oil on him before fleeing.
Jacob Smith was working at a McDonald’s in Yuba City, California on May 30 when the 20-year-old suffered burns across his face, neck, back, and one of his arms. The alleged assailant was reportedly a co-worker, 23-year-old Jalani Bluett.
KCRA-TV reported comments by Smith’s mother about that awful moment. “He was in the office getting ready to count the money when he saw out of the corner of his eye something, and he just turned, and the oil was just thrown on him,” she said.
“The pain he’s experiencing is so excruciating that they can’t give him a level of pain medicine outside of the ICU.”
According to the New York Post, no motive was given, and Smith doesn’t have an explanation either. “As his mother, it broke my heart when he looked at me and said, ‘Why would he do this to me?’” his mother added.
McDonald’s employee in ICU after coworker allegedly threw hot oil on him: ‘Why would he do this to me?’
Jacob Smith, 20, has been hospitalized in the ICU for more than a week with severe burns across his face, neck, arm an back in the May 30 attack blamed on fellow McDonald’s… pic.twitter.com/X9t8gjbSqg
— Blanche Victoria (@tammytabby) June 7, 2026
Do you think the media would have publicized the races more if they were reversed and a white man was suspected of scalding a black man?
Yes: 100% (26 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
Bluett was arrested days later and was expected in court Friday, according to CBS News. He faces multiple felony charges.
“I want justice to be served,” Smith’s mother said about the accused. “I want him to serve the time he needs to serve for what he’s done to my son. I mean, I don’t wish bad things towards him. I just want him to understand that what he did — really understand what he did — and the pain that he caused to my son is excruciating,”
Smith has also set up a GoFundMe for her son, saying the money will go toward rent, bills, groceries, loss of income, and medical expenses. By Friday night, donations totaled more than $167,000.
The young man provided an optimistic update to his supporters via Instagram as he sat in his hospital bed.
“I just want to say I’m very very thankful for everyone who’s supported me and loved me through this process. Its been very, very painful.
“Everyone blew up that GoFundMe and I don’t even know what to do anymore,” he said, almost in disbelief at the amount of donations.
“I’m extremely blessed, and I feel like one of the luckiest people on Earth, and I thank everyone for helping me feel that way and just helping me get through this.”
According to the Post, Smith has a promising future, as he is engaged to be married. Let’s pray for a speedy and safe recovery.
Local outlets like KCRA omitted a critical — and obvious — component from this story. Smith is white, and the alleged assailant is black.
Were the races reversed, we would see national news headlines about “white supremacy” and specials about “race-related workplace hazards for minorities in a white-dominated space.”
Pandering and coddling black Americans means ignoring their high crime rate, somehow believing this will solve the problem.
Local outlets and major networks need to stop ignoring the elephant in the room. They’ll report white crime in a manner meant to fool viewers into believing a Klan rally is happening outside their doors.
It’s time for them to give viewers a more accurate image of the truth.
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