Alleged Homophobic Attack At Shake Shack In Gay-Friendly DC Neighbourhood Leaves Man With Concussion
In a shocking incident, Christian Dingus, 28, claims Shake Shack employees beat him after he kissed his boyfriend at the Dupont Circle location in Washington, DC on Saturday night.
“A worker came out to us and said that, you know, you can’t be doing that here, can’t do that type of stuff here,” Dingus said of the moments after the kiss.
Heated Argument Turns Violent
Dingus’ partner, allegedly escorted out by employees, argued they had done nothing wrong. When Dingus defended his boyfriend, he says the situation escalated.
“They all just kind of started attacking me at that point, dragging me back through the floor and continuously punching me in my head,” Dingus recounted.
Video Captures Alleged Assault
A 30-second video taken by a patron appears to show Dingus being shoved and punched by individuals in Shake Shack shirts. The clip, recorded through windows, does not include audio or show what led to the incident.
Metropolitan Police are investigating the case as a potential hate crime, classifying it as a simple assault with an anti-gay bias motivation. Dingus allegedly was assaulted by multiple people, while an unnamed suspect claimed self-defense.
Shake Shack Responds
The fast-food chain has suspended the team members involved pending further review and is cooperating with authorities. They stated their commitment to taking appropriate actions based on the investigation’s findings.
Dingus, diagnosed with a concussion and jaw trauma at the ER, said the incident shattered his belief in the community’s progress. Dupont Circle, known as a queer-friendly neighborhood, is even listed in Destination DC’s guide to a “Best LGBTQIA+-Friendly Weekend.”
“You hear all the time that this stuff happens but, you know, I started kind of believing that it didn’t, right?” Dingus reflected.
