One man in custody after Geno's Steaks assault in June, warrant out for another
SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - One person is in police custody months after an assault at Geno's Steaks back in June.
According to police, Alberto Lopez, a 24-year-old male turned himself in on September 14. There is a warrant for a 36-year-old male.
Police say five people were caught clearly on surveillance back on June 11.
"All of that happened within seconds," said Patrick as he showed pictures of the injuries he suffered when he says five guys attacked him.
"I got punched in the nose and before I could react I got punched in the back of the head. When I was bent over I got two upper cuts to the eye," he said.
It happened just after 4 o'clock in the early morning hours of Saturday June 11. Patrick, his wife and two friends stopped for cheesesteaks at Geno's in South Philly. They had been hanging out after a wedding the night before. He says the woman with them asked a guy for a cigarette. What Patrick says the guy said and did next caught them totally off guard.
"He flew off the handle. He started yelling at us saying, you don't know we are? We belong to Isis. And we were saying that's not something you joke about and he said what makes you think I'm kidding?"
The attack was captured on surveillance but police say it's too graphic to show. They released still pictures of the five suspects who they say attacked the victims.
"They shoved the one girl. He put his hand on her face and shoved her across the sidewalk and when my wife got involved they just smacked her," said Patrick. When he and the guy with him tried to break it up that's when they both were abruptly assaulted. The suspects got away in two separate vehicles. Police also provided a surveillance picture of a woman they say was the get-a-way driver in one of the cars.
"It's ridiculous. I don't know why it has to escalate like that," said Patrick.
Geno's gave us a statement about the attack. It reads: "We as a company do not condone any type of physical conflict."
It goes on to say, "We are asking our patrons and the public to contact police if they have any information that will help identify the individuals involved."
Meanwhile police believe the get-a-way cars are a dark colored pickup truck and SUV both with New Jersey license plates.
If you recognize any of them or their vehicles, you're asked to call 215-686-TIPS (8477), text a tip to PPDTIP (773847), or click here to submit a tip anonymously. Police say all tips will be confidential.