Editor’s Note: Some of the content of the video could be disturbing to some viewers.
D.C. police are investigating a suspected hate crime that happened on Saturday evening outside of a Shake Shack in Dupont Circle. The restaurant chain has suspended those employees who reportedly attacked a customer.
The attack put Christian Dingus under D.C. Fire and EMS care for injuries to his jaw and face, according to a police report obtained by WTOP on Sunday.
Multiple people were involved in the assault, one of whom said he was defending himself after Dingus put his hands on the suspect’s neck.
The report lists the incident as a suspected “anti-gay” hate crime.
Dingus said he was with his partner, an unidentified male, and a few friends at Shake Shack when he spoke to an employee about his order — it was taking longer than expected.
Dingus told news outlet NBC Washington the incident started after one of the employees aggressively responded to him asking where his food was. His partner pulled him aside while he was waiting in what he thought was an attempt to defuse the situation.
That’s when Dingus said his partner gave him a kiss.
“Another worker came up and was like, ‘Hey, you guys can’t do that here.’ And when he broke us up I just kind of, like, walked away,” Dingus told NBC Washington. “I just didn’t want to deal with it.”
His partner was escorted out of the restaurant, moving a confrontation from inside the restaurant to the sidewalk. From there, Dingus said the incident escalated.
Video captured by those inside the restaurant shows employees wearing Shake Shack uniforms hitting the man and others pulling him away, as customers looked on from inside the restaurant.
“Guys, there fighting. The police are here. Let’s get home,” one woman says.
Another woman, who asked not to be identified, gave the video to Dingus who shared it through friends across social media platforms.
In a statement to WTOP, the restaurant chain said it is aware of the incident and taking action against those involved.
“At Shake Shack, the safety and well-being of our guests and team members are our top priorities, and we have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of violence,” a spokesperson said.
The company said it is fully cooperating with ongoing investigations by local authorities and that team members who participated in this violent incident have been suspended “pending further review.”
“We are committed to taking the appropriate actions based on the findings,” the spokesperson said.
WTOP’s Terik King contributed to this report.
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