Content Creator Pleads Not Guilty After Viral Wendy's Knife Confrontation

Kyle Manfre stands accused of assault with a deadly weapon following a physical altercation at a Wendy's in Northridge on Tuesday.

The incident began at 10:15 a.m. in the 18500 block of Devonshire Street. Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson Officer Charles Miller confirmed officers responded to a call regarding a potential assault. Upon arrival, officers found one man with minor lacerations. They detained Manfre, a 46-year-old content creator and writer, and confiscated a three-inch pocket knife from the scene.

Manfre was booked into Van Nuys Jail on Wednesday. He posted $30,000 in bail the same day. A court hearing is set for Nov. 17 at the San Fernando Courthouse. Manfre has retained a lawyer but has not disclosed their name to reporters.

In an interview on Wednesday night, Manfre described the sequence of events. He stated that he and his girlfriend had finished saying grace when a man wearing a cap approached their booth. Manfre claimed the man moved to within inches of his face. When Manfre attempted to leave the booth, the man in the cap blocked the exit. Manfre said he saw a shiny metal object in the man's fist, which he later learned was a set of keys.

Manfre told The Times he believed the man intended to kill them. He denied using the blade during the scuffle. "I only brandished it," he said. He added that he sustained swelling and bleeding on his hand while trying to block chairs from hitting his face. He sent photographs of the injuries to the news outlet. Manfre also requested to be taken to a hospital, where he was cleared before being booked.

A witness named Jesus Lepit told KTLA that the man in the cap had been arguing with employees before approaching the couple. Lepit described the man as "minding their own business, eating breakfast" before the confrontation began. He observed chairs being thrown around the dining area. Video footage of the encounter, showing one man holding a knife while another smiles, has circulated widely on social media.

Manfre maintains that the charges are wrong. "I need to clear my name," he said.