The owner of a Near North Side McDonald’s said he was “disturbed” by an attack that prompted a security guard to brandish his gun in self defense outside the restaurant on Sunday.
The 57-year-old man was working security for the restaurant, 10 E. Chicago Ave., at 3:17 p.m. when he asked two males to leave the building because they were playing music out loud, according to a statement from Chicago police.
As he was escorting them out of the building, the suspects started top punch him repeatedly, police said. One of them grabbed a glass bottle from a nearby garbage can and smashed it over the guard’s head.
The guard then pulled out his pepper spray and handgun, at which point the suspects ran away and taunted the man from inside another business, police said. They were gone by the time officers arrived.
“The safety and security of our employees and customers is our top priority,” Nick Karavites, the owner and operator of the McDonald’s franchise, said in a statement. “We are disturbed by this situation and will continue to take appropriate measures to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for our customers.”
The attack was captured on a cellphone video recorded from inside the McDonald’s and has gone viral.
The guard was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to police.
The restaurant is located outside the Chicago and State Red Line station where three people were attacked by several teens in January. Five were charged in connection with the attack.
No one is in custody for Sunday’s attack as Area Central detectives continue to investigate.
