Police release video of attack on Iraq war veteran at DC McDonald's

WASHINGTON - D.C. police have released video of the attack on a Marine veteran inside a McDonald's restaurant, the victim told FOX 5.

The attack happened Friday night at a McDonald's restaurant in D.C.'s Penn Quarter neighborhood. Chris Marquez, 30, said he was eating by himself in a back corner of the restaurant when a group of several young men and a young female approached his table and began harassing him.

"They were asking me if I believe that black lives mattered," Marquez told FOX 5. "They asked me that a few times and I was ignoring them at first because I felt they were intimidating me. They were being hostile. That's pretty much how they approached me and how they were talking to me and then they started calling me a racist."

Marquez is a decorated Marine who has fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. An Iraq War memorial was commissioned from a picture showing Marquez helping rescue a fellow Marine in Fallujah. He has been awarded a Bronze Star for valor in the Iraq War.

But the American University student has a hard time remembering where he was hit. He said he has been in a bit of pain and has been feeling dizzy. He went back to the doctor on Thursday for additional tests.

He said police told him after reviewing surveillance video that he was struck from behind while he was walking out of the McDonald's.

"A gentlemen with a white shirt hit me in the back of the head," said Marquez. "They don't know if he had anything in his hand - if he had a gun or anything or if it was his fist."

Marquez said police told him the surveillance video's quality is poor, and that they can see the attack, but faces are difficult to make out. In the video, you can see Marquez kicked once and then another time as he attempts to get back up. He said his wallet with $400 cash in it was taken.

However, when reporters asked D.C. police about surveillance video of the incident on Wednesday, D.C. Police Assistant Chief Peter Newsham said, "We are very well aware the case has drawn national attention. With many of our assaults, we have detectives that pick up those cases and if there is evidence associated with the case, we'll get it out and show it to the public."

Marquez want to make it clear he is not a racist and he said he just told the group to leave him alone.

He also made of point of saying that he loves Washington D.C., he loves the people in the city, but it is troubling for him to hear about so many similar recent attacks and he is hoping his attackers will be caught.