A former Universal Orlando Resort team member claims he was fired unjustly after a guest assaulted him and he then threatened to beat them up during Halloween Horror Nights.

Team Member Fired After Threatening to Beat Up Guest

TikTok user @jelaur_610 a.k.a. Jelani shared a video about his firing experience. From the beginning, he makes clear that he does not want his job back because “I kind of hated it there” and he was planning to leave soon anyway. He also makes clear throughout the video that he did threaten the guest and is not denying that fact. But he believes he was justified in verbally defending himself, particularly after everything else he has endured as a Universal team member for almost four years.

“I’m coming on here because I think the termination was unjust and it was done wrong,” Jelani says at the start of the video.

On October 5, 2026, Jelani was working as a loader on MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack at Universal Studios Florida during Halloween Horror Nights.

The grouper — the team member who assigns guests to their ride vehicles — noticed a guest had 3D glasses from TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D. Guests are not allowed to take 3D glasses from TRANSFORMERS: The Ride, but more pertinently, they are not allowed to have 3D glasses on MEN IN BLACK. The loose glasses, like hats and other accessories, pose a safety threat on the ride because of its spinning.

According to Jelani, the grouper kindly told the guest he could not have those glasses because they belong to the Transformers ride and asked for the guest to give them to her. The guest then said, “I bought them.”

The grouper said, “No, you didn’t, they’re not for sale.” The guest brushed her off and got onto the ride vehicle.

Jelani and the other loaders on duty decided they were not going to let the guest ride. Jelani told the guest he would have to exit the vehicle and wait for a lead team member to arrive. The guest refused and Jelani said they would not start the ride until he got out.

Jelani says he was professional throughout this interaction.

The guest then threw the glasses at Jelani and they hit him in the neck.

Jelani said he was on his “last straw” that day and “seething mad.” He could not immediately leave because he was in a safety position.

After being frozen for several seconds, Jelani leaned over the guest and said, “Do you want me to beat your f***ing a**?”

The lead finally arrived and escorted the guest off the ride.

Jelani begged to be “bumped out” of his position (meaning a different team member would take his place). After drinking some water, he went to the lead office, knowing that he would have to go there anyway.

He was asked to fill out a witness statement. The security guard Jelani spoke to, who Jelani described as “super friendly,” asked if he really said the threat. Jelani admitted that he did. The security guard asked if the guest then threw the glasses. Jelani said no, he threw the glasses first.

The grouper and other loaders also gave witness statements and leaders watched multiple camera angles of the incident. Everything corroborated Jelani’s story.

The police arrived and confirmed Jelani’s story was factual. They asked if he wanted to press charges and he said yes.

Security then transported Jelani to the police precinct. He noted it was at this time that someone asked for the first time if he needed health services. He did not need treatment but was frustrated he was not asked earlier.

In the interrogation room at the precinct, a “very friendly” officer explained that Jelani could not press charges because the guest did not appear to intend to hit Jelani and inflict harm when he threw the glasses.

The guest was banned from Universal Orlando Resort for life.

On October 6, a manager informed Jelani he was on indefinite suspension without pay as Universal conducted a follow-up investigation.

On October 8, the manager then called Jelani to inform him that he was being terminated effective immediately for violating Universal’s Respect in the Workplace Policy because they have zero tolerance for verbally threatening guests.

Jelani asked what he was supposed to do when a guest assaulted him and the manager said, “I kind of wish you’d just stood there and waited for the leads to come take care of it.”

Jelani asked to get his termination paperwork in writing. A second manager said he could not but Jelani insisted and HR emailed him paperwork soon after.

Jelani says this paperwork, which he shows on screen, was the main reason for him making the video. In describing the event, the paperwork says he noticed the 3D glasses and began the guest interaction, not mentioning that the grouper noticed the glasses first. The paperwork goes on to say Jelani asked the guest to return the glasses to him, although Jelani never did that. He only asked the guest to step out of the vehicle.

Though the description says the guest threw the glasses, it does not mention that they hit Jelani. The paperwork also spells his name wrong at one point.

Jelani says, “There’s no way there’s a policy stating that if a guest assaults you, you have to still maintain respect for that guest. […] If it is true, then I’m so glad I don’t work there anymore.”

He adds, “The main reason I’m making this video is because I am so sick of corporations, stuff like this, treating people like me that we are afterthoughts that don’t have our own lives and stuff.”

Jelani referenced having endured previous sexual harassment and assault, as well as a manager telling him to “leave the streets at home.” But after everything, “this is the reason I get fired. Because I verbally defend myself after getting assaulted.”

Jelani said he works at a literal jail but “that jail is less of a jail than working at Universal during Halloween Horror Nights.”

Though Jelani was not working as a scareactor, assault of performers and other employees during Halloween Horror Nights has been a hot topic of discussion recently. Universal Orlando Resort added an announcement to the event reminding guests not to touch scareactors and remain respectful.

At the Universal Studios Hollywood version of the event, the Nikki character performer recently broke character and cut short a meet and greet amid harassment from guests.

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