Holly MatkinChicago, IL – An armed security guard drew his weapon to fend off two men who attacked him outside a McDonald’s restaurant on Sunday (video below).
Cell phone footage of the altercation, which was recorded by someone inside the restaurant, has been viewed over a million times.
The violent struggle took place outside the McDonald’s restaurant on Chicago Avenue and North State Street, WBBM reported.
It is unclear what events precipitated the brawl, which was already underway when the bystander began recording.
The video showed two young men as they slammed the gray-haired security guard into a brick wall outside the restaurant.
One attacker ripped off the man’s hat, then struck him in the face as he tried to get away.
During the scuffle, a can of pepper spray fell to the ground, WBBM reported.
One of the attackers snatched it up, then pointed the canister at the cornered security guard, the video showed.
That’s when the armed man drew his weapon, and pointed it at the two assailants.
Although no one inside the restaurant seemed to be too concerned that the older man was being attacked, chaos broke out when they realized he was defending himself with a firearm.
“No! No!” a woman screamed, as the security guard drove the two men away from him with his gun aimed at them defiantly.
The suspects immediately gathered their belongings and fled the scene.
“You got to put yourself in his shoes. He’s defending himself. He feels threatened,” McDonald’s customer A.J. Jones told WBBM. “They could have killed that man.”
According to police, no one called 911 to report the altercation, and they have no record that it ever occurred.
The security company declined to comment on the incident, WBBM reported.
“We are disturbed by this situation,” McDonald’s franchise owner Nick Karavites told WMAQ in a statement. “We will continue to take appropriate measures to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for our customers.”
It was unclear whether or not the attack on the security guard was related to a mob of teenagers who wreaked havoc in the area over the weekend.
Victims reported having been shoved to the ground and punched, and businesses said the mobs stormed in, made messes, and tried to steal food.
Others ran into traffic, causing motorists to swerve to avoid hitting them, WGN reported.
Police arrested 21 people during the chaos, 20 of whom were juveniles, according to WMAQ.
“There were several hours where is was just mayhem down here,” Alderman Brian Hopkins told the news outlet.
You can watch footage of the altercation in the viral video below: