Restaurant Owner Faces Charges After Allegedly Pulling Gun on Teens Over Unpaid Bill
Nadim Kashouh is accused of assaulting two teenagers and brandishing a firearm after they allegedly left his Springfield restaurant without paying a $92 tab.
A Massachusetts restaurant owner is facing charges after allegedly pursuing two teenagers who left his establishment without paying their bill, then assaulting them and displaying a firearm. Nadim Kashouh, 62, owner of Nadim’s Downtown Mediterranean Grill in Springfield, is accused of striking a 17-year-old girl and 18-year-old Javonnie Lee on Friday after they allegedly fled the restaurant without covering a $92 tab.
According to a police report, Kashouh and another employee chased the teens to a nearby convenience store. The teens reportedly told police they attempted to pay, but their card was declined twice. Kashouh allegedly ordered them to return to the restaurant to settle the bill and took the girl's phone. Police reported that Kashouh then struck both teenagers, leaving the girl with a bruise.
As a group of seven people gathered at the scene, Kashouh allegedly pointed his firearm in their direction, stating it was in self-defense. The 17-year-old girl told officers she feared for her life when she saw the gun.
Kashouh has been charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and counts of armed robbery with a firearm and assault and battery. He possesses an active license to carry two registered firearms. The armed robbery charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Kashouh, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1990 after fleeing war-torn Lebanon, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A spokesperson stated that Kashouh maintains his innocence and that his actions were taken in self-defense. The legal team is reportedly seeking to have the full facts and circumstances of the incident addressed.
Just weeks prior, Kashouh celebrated the 26th anniversary of his Springfield restaurant. On September 10, Mayor Domenic Sarno declared "Nadim’s Mediterranean Restaurant and Grill Day" in his honor.
Kashouh opened his restaurant in 2000. He previously worked in his father's hotel in Lebanon before relocating to the U.S. amid civil war. He initially worked in car and jewelry sales before entering the restaurant business.
Friends and associates have spoken in support of Kashouh, describing him as respectful, fair, calm, and hardworking. However, some local residents have called for the full force of the law to be applied.
The two teenagers are each expected to be charged with defrauding a restaurant, which carries a potential jail sentence of up to two years and a fine of up to $600.