Massachusetts restaurant owner chases down teen dine-and- dashers before pointing gun at group
A Massachusetts restaurant owner pursued two teen dine-and-dashers before he allegedly assaulted them and whipped out his gun, which left a girl fearing for her life.Nadim Kashouh, 62, allegedly smacked the girl, 17, using his elbow and struck Javonnie Lee, 18, on Friday after they darted from his Springfield restaurant, Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill, without covering their $92 tab, the Boston Globe reported.Liberia-born Kashouh, who moved to the US in 1990 after fleeing war-torn Lebanon, and another employee chased down the teens to a nearby convenience store, according to a police report seen by the Globe.The teens, who told cops they tried to pay, took off after their card was declined twice, the Globe reported. Kashouh ordered the pair to return to the restaurant to cover their check and allegedly grabbed the girl’s phone, Ryan Walsh, of the Springfield Police Department, said, according to WGGB.Kashouh then allegedly struck the two diners, leaving the girl with a bruise, but the commotion didn’t end there – as a group of seven suddenly gathered.“As a larger group gathered, Kashouh is alleged to have pointed his firearm in the direction of the group,” Walsh said.“Kashouh stated he did so in self-defense.”But the terrified girl told cops “she believed she was going to lose her life” when she saw the gun.Kashouh faces two charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and counts of armed robbery with a firearm, assault and battery.He had an active license to carry the two guns registered to him.The armed robbery charge comes with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. But despite facing life behind bars, Kashouh has once again proclaimed his innocence as he appeared in court Monday.“Mr.
Kashouh was grateful for the opportunity to appear in court today and respond to the allegations against him.He maintains his innocence and that his actions were taken in self-defense,” his spokesperson said in a Facebook statement.“As this matter...