MESA, Ariz. - Zach Fisher has spent the last 12 years working in a back room at his stepdad’s business. Fisher builds prosthetic arms and legs for Fikes Brace and Limb in Mesa.
“This is where I come every day," he said. "I bust out some legs, watch people walk and help them.”
His life, for the most part, was simple and quiet but all that changed after he attended a Donald Trump rally this past weekend in Phoenix. On his way out of the rally Fisher says he and his friends were confronted by some Hispanic protesters.
“Words were exchanged, spit was thrown on me, signs were ripped and I just had enough of it and I lost my temper,” Fisher said.
Cameras captured Fisher yelling obscenities at a group of protesters.
“Our country mother[expletive]! Proud American, made in the USA, [expletive],” Fisher can be seen yelling on video posted online.
Fisher told 12 News the group of protesters started yelling at him and his friends first, saying things like, “We are going to take this country over” while waving the Mexican flag.
Fisher was caught on camera yelling, “Go cook my burrito you [expletive]” and “Go [expletive] cook my tortilla, [expletive].”
The Trump supporter said he just recently became politically active and admits he went overboard.
“I know I lost my cool and I regret it, I honestly do,” he said.
The viral rant has been posted on dozens of websites and thousands of people have shared it on Facebook.
“I feel horrible; I feel horrible,” he said.
The outburst has caused problems for his employer, who just happens to also be his stepfather.
“We started getting phone calls, hateful phone calls this morning,” said Raymond Fikes.
Some of the callers, according to Fikes, have made death threats.
“They are victimizing someone that is more on their side then they know,” he said.
So many calls were coming in, the office had to re-route them to an answering service.
“[They] were obscene, not much I can repeat,” Fikes said.
The threats prompted the business to contact Mesa Police. Four officers were standing watch outside the business for at least an hour on Wednesday afternoon.
Fisher told 12 News he is not a racist but was just standing up for his country.
“I wish I did not go overboard so much,” he said.
After agreeing to talk with us, Fisher showed us the prosthetic leg he is working on for a veteran that lost part of his leg. The custom-made prosthetic is made of carbon fiber and ironically is decorated with the American flag.
Fisher believes a lot of this is being blown out of proportion. He says he has several friends who are Hispanic and he has no problems with them, but that he does not like people who are in the country illegally.
He says he is proud of his country and felt attacked, which is why he lashed out.