Burritos Take Down Kent State Students and Track Team

If victims of the Great Kent State Burrito Massacre of April 2008 can take comfort in anything, it's knowing Chipotle is willing to pay their medical bills as penance (and good PR), the Daily Kent Stater reports.

Health officials believe the norovirus is the cause of last week's outbreak—which affected 432 people, many of them Kent State students (and many of whom received free burrito coupons after giving blood. Where's karma now?)

The damage also spilled over to the school's track and field team, which—with six players sick—turned in a weak performance at the All-Ohio Championship. Amazingly, two ill athletes managed to compete in the hammer throw—one notching second place with a 103-degree temperature and the other throwing a personal best. The illness is still affecting one of the team's key distance runners, who will sit out of a Thursday meet where he planned to break the school's 5,000-meter race record.

The free medical care ploy also seems to be working: "I have no hard feelings," said a sophomore studying nutrition. "My stomach is still upset, though. I'm really excited that they're going to pay."

And for students with no medical bills to pay? More coupons and more burritos! "Hey, it's better than nothing," said a Kent State senior. "I'm a big fan of Chipotle."