Crime

American Coney Island Hires Off-Duty Cops After Late-Night Gunhsot Wounds Worker

January 18, 2017, 10:36 PM by  Allan Lengel


A fight at the American Coney Island nearly turned deadly

The popular American Coney Island on W. Lafayette in downtown Detroit can get busy late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. But the atmosphere is normally festive, with many of the folks downing coneys, fries and loose burgers to absorb a night of beverages.

But Jan. 8 was different. A brawl broke out around 3 a.m. and an employee was shot and wounded, Mark Hicks of The Detroit News reports. (See video below.)

It's the first time a person has ever been shot in the restaurant, says owner Grace Keros.

Keros tells Deadline Detroit she has decided to take action: She's hiring two off-duty Detroit cops on Friday and Saturday nights and for special events at a cost of $25 per hour per officer.  

"It's a great thing," Keros says. "I pay for it but happy to do it. Money well spent. I'm not going to allow this kind of thing to happen at my restaurant. It's a family business. The safety of my employees and customers come first."

The Jan. 8 incident began around 3:10 a.m.

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Grace Keros

Employees spotted several males who “began assaulting a group of females that were inside the restaurant,” investigators said in a statement, according to the News. The group had been harassing women waiting for the restroom, Keros said. 

When the employees attempted to stop them, the suspects began assaulting the workers, The News reports. 

At some point, an unidentified armed man entered the restaurant and fired a shot into the crowd, striking a 19-year-old employee, Keros said.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Detroit Police Third Precinct detectives at (313) 596-1340 or (313) 596-5342.


Read more:  The Detroit News


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