EATONTOWN —The owner of Maurizio’s Pizza issued an apology for the anti-Semitic comments texted by a manager in response to a teenage employee's request to take off a day for Rosh Hashanah.

A lawsuit by the teen and his parents says manager Francesco Scott DiRinaldi responded to Nicholas Bogan via text in an employee group chat with “(Expletive) the Jewish. Put them on fire (fire emoji). Like Hitler was trying to do. He had a point."

Owner Cesar Schiano told New Jersey 101.5 on Thursday that he had been on a trip and was unaware of the text until the incident began to get media attention. One of his employees called while he was still at the airport to tell him that a TV truck had pulled up in front of his restaurant on Hope Road in Eatontown.

"I came into the place and fired the guy and I tried to get my customer back. I apologized to everyone," Shiano said.

He also taped a written apology on the door saying that he is “DEVASTATED” and has "no tolerance for ignorance and discrimination, adding that Rinaldi had been fired.

Schiano offered an apology to “our Jewish friends and patrons as well as everyone in our beloved community" who have supported his business over the years.

Back in September, when Bogan received his response from DiRinaldi the day before the Jewish New Year, the lawsuit claims that the teen tried to "defuse" the situation by responding with three "laughing crying" emojis. But DiRinaldi continued, the complaint says.

"Yeah, I'm serious can't stand them. With the Indians as well. Why would you celebrate something that you don't belong. You wrong born in America so you don't belong to them," DiRinaldi said in a text, according to the lawsuit.

The teen was shaken after receiving the text and "did not feel safe returning to work" and was let go the next day, the lawsuit says.

Bogan's parents have filed a discrimination lawsuit against the restaurant seeking compensation, training for the restaurant’s employees and his job back.

Bogan's lawyer, Matthew Luber, did not immediately return a message seeking comment about the apology.

More Jersey Shore News:

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

More From 94.3 The Point