LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Henderson father tells 8 News Now he and his family were treated horribly at the Pinball Hall of Fame because his child, who is on the spectrum wouldn’t be still.
Video of the altercation, which happened on Thursday was provided to 8 News Now.
Daniel Jimenez says his family was asked to leave the establishment because of his 7-year-old’s behavior.
“The owner of the establishment approached me and asked me to tell my son who is on the spectrum to stop spinning,” Jimenez told 8 News Now.
His son Danny is autistic and he says spinning is how he copes with his surroundings.
“I asked him to show me the rules and he said it’s a private club and he can make up the rules,” Jimenez added.
He goes on to tell 8 News Now that words were exchanged and in the short interaction, police were called.
“No one should be treated the way we were treated, no one. Whether it be disabilities or able body children, no one should be treated that way, and this is a family establishment,” he expressed.
Jimenez believes he was discriminated against because of his son’s disability.
8 News Now spoke with Tim Arnold, the Pinball Hall of Fame president who said, the business may be perceived as a children’s attraction but said it is actually a dangerous place for “active children.”
“There’s a list of things that we don’t allow at any time for anybody. Whether they are handi-capped or fully-abled,” Arnold said.
He also said he and his staff are trained to work with all types of children including those with autism, however, he said the problem on Thursday was not the child but his parent.
“If his child would slip and fall, the concrete would have knocked a hole in his head and I kept telling him, please sir, take your child to a safer place,” Arnold added. “All he could say was my child has autism and I don’t understand what that has to do with simple safety rules.”
Jimenez also said another family was trying to help them during the incident, but they were also told to leave the establishment.
He tells 8 News Now he is looking into legal action regarding Thursday’s incident.