Police: Mob Attacked Specific Group of People Inside Tinley Park Restaurant

Updated at 8:52 p.m.

A group of ‘anti-facists’ are being credited with Saturday’s mob-style attack inside a Tinley Park restaurant.

An anti-racist website posted a response to the Patch story "Police: Mob Attacked Specific Group of People Inside Tinley Park Restaurant." The post states that “a group of 30 anti-fascists descended” on the restaurant “where the 5th annual White Nationalist Economic Summit and Illinois White Nationalist Meet-and-Greet" was reportedly taking place.

“These anti-fascists are committed to shutting down and attacking any racist, nationalist or fascist organizers or individuals that they encounter,” the post states.

Tinley Park police have not confirmed the claims.

Updated at 8:06 p.m.

Police are holding five people suspected in the mob-style attack Saturday afternoon at a Tinley Park restaurant.

All are white men, according to police.

The group of about 15 people dressed all in black who reportedly attacked a group of people around 12:45 p.m. inside Ashford House fled in three vehicles, police said. One vehicle was stopped five minutes after the attack near 159th and Harlem while the remaining vehicles managed to get away.

The names of those being held in custody were not immediately available. It wasn't clear if any of the men have been charged. 

Updated at 4:43 p.m.

Tinley Park police have confirmed that 15 to 18 people dressed in black appear to have targeted a specific group for attack inside Ashford House Saturday afternoon.

"At this time, it has been reported that a group of 15 to 18 people dressed in black entered the establishment and began an altercation with a specific group of people dining in the restaurant," according to a media release sent late Saturday afternoon. 

It appears to be an isolated incident and not a random attack, police said. They have not released whether anyone has been arrested or charged.

About 10 people were injured, police said. Three were taken to local hospitals and the rest refused treatment.

The attack, which reportedly involved people in black clothing, hoods and masks wielding bats, happened at about 12:45 p.m. 

Updated at 3:47 p.m.

An employee at the Ashford House said a woman, who appeared to be in her mid 40s with several tattoos on both arms, stopped into the Tinley Park restaurant Friday and made a noon reservation Saturday for 10 people. Around noon Saturday, people started gathering in the parking lot, but they did not appear to know each other prior.

“It all seemed strange to me from the beginning,” said the employee, who asked not to be named. “They were doing introductions and pacing around the parking lot before coming in.”

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Five people sat down at a table in the restaurant and waited for another 10 to arrive, when another group of people wearing masks came into the restaurant and began damaging the place.

“Tables were being thrown and chairs were broken,” the employee said. “Then they were gone. They flashed in and out. They had people waiting for them outside.”

The assailants attacked at least one restaurant employee, the employee said. They also painted something unclear on a restaurant wall, the employee said.

The woman who made the reservation said the group tours Irish festivals around the country, according to the employee. 

Updated at 3:30 p.m.

One witness who was in Ashford House during the attack told Patch that several people were taken away in ambulances. It was immediately unclear how seriously the people attacked in the restaurant were hurt.

Updated at 3:01 p.m.

Although Patch editors were in the area of the Ashford House around 3 p.m., no members of the media were being allowed on the scene.

Officers at the declined to comment on details of the incident or the nature of victims' injuries. Records staff members said they were unsure if a press conference would be held later in the day, but department officials will be sending information as it becomes available.

In the mean time, reporters were being asked to assemble at the nearby NuMark Credit Union, 8001 West 159th St.

Updated at 2:38 p.m.

Up to 20 people clad in black clothing and wearing black hoods walked into the Ashford House Restaurant in and began attacking patrons inside the restaurant with hammers and clubs, witnesses said.

The attack took place around noon Saturday. Ambulances were called to the scene for “multiple battery victims.” were still on the scene as of 2:50 p.m.

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Lauryn Drozd, 22, was attending a wedding shower at Ashford House located at 7959 W. 159th St. when the incident occurred.

“They started hitting people with bats and hammers,” Drozd said. “They had hoods up.”

She added that it appeared the black-hooded group was targeting a specific person but she was not sure if it was their intent.

It was not known Saturday at 2:30 p.m. if the attack was related to the NATO summit taking place in Chicago this weekend or if could gang related.

Patch editors Nick Swedberg and Ben Feldheim are on scene.