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Biggby Coffee Suspends New Hire After Disparaging Trayvon Tweet

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) Turns out, what happens on Twitter doesn't stay on Twitter, and a new employee at a Livonia Biggby coffee shop learned that the hard way.

At 11:16 p.m. the night a jury found George Zimmerman not guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of teen Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old Biggby employee Tweeted on her own account, thanking God "for that bullet that killed Trayvon Martin." Some friends reportedly responded positively to the Tweet, but as it spread, others Tweeted it to Biggby and demanded reaction.

The employee later deleted her account while the company's Facebook and Twitter pages were flooded with complaints, with some calling for a boycott and demanding the worker's firing.

Biggby, which notably changed its name from the original Beaners Coffee after an outcry from Mexican Americans, reacted quickly.

They made it clear the teen was a new hire who had not yet actually started working. And she may never get the chance to don the Biggby polo shirt and fire up the espresso machine.

"BIGGBY COFFEE does not in any way condone the statements made by the employee at one of its franchise locations," the company said in an official statement. "The employee in question has been identified and has never worked in a BIGGBY COFFEE. This person was recently hired, but had not yet started training or working behind the counter. We have asked that the employee be suspended pending additional details."

The company added: "The thoughts and opinions of BIGGBY COFFEE franchise employees do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of BIGGBY COFFEE."

Biggby was founded in 1995 in East Lansing, Mich., to serve coffee to Michigan State students, and has grown to include 100 locations across Michigan, Illinois and Ohio.

"BIGGBY COFFEE's cultural values have been and continue to be: B-Happy, Have fun, Make friends, Love people, Drink great coffee," the company said.

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