Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Gay Man Speaks Out After Shake Shack Workers Allegedly Assault Him For Kissing His Boyfriend

YouTube screenshot of the attack; Christian Dingus
NBC

D.C. resident Christian Dingus was at a Shake Shack in Dupont Circle when an employee allegedly berated him for kissing his boyfriend inside the restaurant before attacking him along with a group of other workers.

A gay man in Washington, D.C., is speaking out after Dupont Circle Shake Shack employees allegedly assaulted him for kissing his boyfriend in the restaurant.

D.C. resident Christian Dingus, 28, said he was at the restaurant on Saturday night waiting for his food when the incident transpired.


He told NBC News:

“While we were back there [in the restaurant] — kind of briefly — we began to kiss."
“And at that point, 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.”

The two then separated, but Dingus said his boyfriend was troubled by the comment and went to speak to the employee.

Dingus' partner was then escorted out of the restaurant, where an argument took place. Dingus verbally interjected when an employee began speaking disrespectfully to his partner.

And that's when things became physical, according to Dingus.

“And then one of the men, pretty forcefully, like, pushed me out of the way on my shoulder."
“And then, you know, next thing I know, that kind of just, I think, sparked the rest of them…. They all just kind of started attacking me at that point, dragging me back, threw me on the floor and continuously punching me in my head.”

A patron inside the Shake Shack recorded the incident and gave the recording to Dingus.

The video shows employees beating Dingus as he fell to the ground and continuing to assault him while he was curled up on the sidewalk.

An ambulance arrived on the scene, but Dingus refused it at the time. He later, however, went to the emergency room for intense jaw pain.

He was diagnosed with a concussion and trauma to his jaw.

Dingus told NBC News:

“There was a desire to be violent towards me, and I think it’s very evident in that film."

A spokesperson for Shake Shack said all employees involved were suspended pending further review.

You can watch below.

- YouTubeyoutu.be

People on social media learning of Dingus' story were absolutely appalled.





NBC News/YouTube

NBC News/YouTube

NBC News/YouTube

NBC News/YouTube

And they don't believe "suspension" is punishment enough.



NBC News/YouTube

NBC News/YouTube

NBC News/YouTube

The attack is being investigated as a hate crime. According to a copy of the police report filed with the Metropolitan Police Department (per NBC News), police have classified the alleged offense as a simple assault with an anti-gay bias motivation.

The spokesperson for Shake Shack said in a statement on Sunday:

“We are aware of the incident on Saturday, Aug. 17 involving team members and a guest at our Dupont Circle location and are taking it very seriously."
“At Shake Shack, the safety and well-being of our guests and team members are our top priority, and we have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of violence.”

They added that the establishment is "committed to taking the appropriate actions."

Dingus also wants appropriate action to be taken, but he wants to feel safe in his own community, as well.

“You hear all the time that this stuff happens, but, you know, I started kind of believing that it didn’t, right?”
“I’ve been ... thinking of progress and how great that community is here, and then for that all to kind of be shattered, you know, kind of sucks.”

More from News/lgbtq

Gayle King; Alan Shepard
Entertainment Tonight; Space Frontiers/Getty Images

Gayle King Just Compared Herself To Alan Shepard After Her Space Flight—And The Mockery Was Swift

The all-woman Blue Origin space flight doesn't seem to have elicited the response from the public that anyone involved expected, and CBS Mornings host Gayle King isn't having it.

Waves of criticism have been leveled at the participants for their out-of-touch statements about the trip, the expense and pollution of which have struck many as a "let them eat cake" moment in these times.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nancy Mace
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Pre-K Teacher Goes Viral For Her Clapback After Nancy Mace's 'LGBTQ' Alphabet Gripe

South Carolina MAGA Republican Representative Nancy Mace has used her hatred to make a name for herself, and "transphobe" and "TERF" are an integral part of that name.

If Mace isn't spouting transphobic slurs on the floor of Congress or in public appearances in the Midwest, she's posting her hate online.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at rally
@Acyn/Blue Sky

Someone Flew A 'Trump Country' Banner Over Bernie And AOC's Packed Rally—And AOC Clapped Back Hard

Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had the perfect response after one of President Donald Trump's supporters flew a banner reading "Folsom Is Trump Country" over a Northern California rally she held with her colleague, Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders.

She brushed off a warning that they were entering “Trump country” as the crowd swelled in deep-red Folsom, a Republican stronghold nestled in Representative Kevin Kiley’s district. Just to drive the point home, a small plane buzzed above the rally, trailing a banner in bold red letters: “Folsom Is Trump Country.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Chuck Grassley speaking to constituents
C-SPAN

MAGA Senator Gets An Earful From Angry Constituents During Iowa Town Hall—And It's Pure Fire

Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley was criticized by his "pissed" constituents during a town hall in Fort Madison this week who demanded why he hasn’t taken stronger action to hold President Donald Trump and his administration accountable as tensions escalate with the Supreme Court.

Those in attendance were galvanized by the Trump administration’s refusal to comply with a unanimous Supreme Court order instructing the White House to “facilitate” the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Garcia was mistakenly deported to a prison in El Salvador known for its reputation for torture.

Keep ReadingShow less

People Share Their One Key Rule For A 'Friends With Benefits' Relationship

Friends with benefits can seem like a good idea... in theory.

Everybody has a carnal itch to scratch now and again.

Keep ReadingShow less