Man Claims Fells Point Restaurant Employees, Bystanders Did Nothing During Brutal Attack
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A man says employees at the recently-opened Choptank restaurant in Fells Point did nothing to help him when he was attacked by three men outside over the weekend.
Marcus Dent posted on Facebook Sunday saying his friend, Michael O'Hara, was assaulted coming out of Choptank.
In the post, Dent said O'Hara was walking out of the restaurant with his wife when he saw three people on scooters beating up and robbing another man, but when he tried to intervene, the three men turned on him and knocked him unconscious in the street.
"Walking out, I pretty much walked into a gentlemen being punched in the back of the head," O'Hara said. "(I) kind of put my hands up and pushed 'This ain't worth it guys, let's get away,' and when I looked that's when one of the guys was grabbing my wife."
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O'Hara said as he pushed the man off, another punched him and he went down. That man continued to punch and kick him until they left, he added.
He claims bystanders and the restaurant's employees did nothing to help him.
O'Hara's wife said she thinks they came after her because she had her phone up saying she was taking video and calling the police.
Security footage from Choptank shows the man walking out with another woman before seeing three people on scooters appearing to beat up someone.
The man begins to intervene when the three people turn on him and start fighting with him instead.
In the security footage, no one from the restaurant seems to be intervening directly. It shows one man standing outside by the entrance watching and pointing to other people presumably inside Choptank.
Toward the end, that man starts to walk toward the incident, but security footage cuts off at that point.
During an interview with WJZ, O'Hara said he was upset that the men targeted his wife, who called police and tried to get him ice as the ambulance was on its way.
He claims they were told by Choptank not to bleed on cars and that the restaurant couldn't give them ice, and that they didn't want the two on the property.
O'Hara was a Guardian Angel in Baltimore City for about five years and said he is upset that youth are turning out this way where they target older people and women.
As a Guardian Angel, violence like this was what O'Hara tried to prevent. Now, he's left with bruises on his face and an injury to his elbow, as well as internal injuries, he said.
"I went to help someone but nobody really came to my aid," he said. "People are scared to get involved because this could happen to them."
Choptank responded with a statement and provided security footage, saying that 911 was called but did not say it was by the restaurant specifically.
The statement reads:
"The unfortunate incident in question took place during the late afternoon hours in Fells Point Square, a public space surrounded by many, many business establishments.
"Staff report a group of people were arguing back and forth for a period of time before a brawl erupted in the square during that time. 911 was called and first responders appropriately managed the situation.
"The Choptank employs a deeply experienced security team, including off duty local, state and federal law enforcement professionals. Our goal is everyone's goal, accountability for those who try to hurt others or steal property while improving the quality of life in Baltimore."
"To the Choptank restaurant, you should be ashamed of yourself! Turning your back on your customers I guess it's all about the money!" Dent said in the Facebook post.
The restaurant has offered the couple free food, but they said they won't be returning any time soon.
So far, no arrests have been made in the attack.
