MOLINE, Illinois -- An employee at QC Family Entertainment was left with fractures in his face and hands after being beaten by a group of customers, according to the Moline Police Department.
Shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday, July 19, police said they were called to a fight involving between 30 and 40 people.
Detective Michael Griffin with the Moline Police Department said it started when a group of 15 to 20 people were rough-housing in the facility. A worker approached them and asked them to stop; that's when one person "got aggressive" with the man. Griffin said the customer "actually picked him up over the top of his head and threw him."
Police said the worker started getting attacked by about three people. The man then tried to run off, but then "a whole mob turned on him."
Detective Griffin said as about 15 people were stomping on him and kicking him, some other customers nearby stepped in to help stop the attack.
"They came to the aid of the employee. They probably saved his life," he said. The worker sustained fractures to his face and hands and was taken to the hospital.
The owner of QC Family Entertainment said he's "shocked" that dozens of people got into a fight at his business.
Frank Miroballi, the owner, has been involved with bowling businesses for decades. He said, during that time, and in the six years QC Family Entertainment has been open, nothing like this has ever happened.
"They have a great business down there," said Detective Griffin. "This is not a reflection on QC Family Entertainment at all, and I believe this is an isolated incident."
The business has 43 security cameras inside and, coincidentally, they had planned to install 12 more this week. Police were sifting through that footage, trying to identify the people involved. Detective Griffin said the people involved can expect to face criminal charges.
Miroballi explained that they had been looking to improve their security camera system so that there's "no place to hide" in such a large facility. He said they're now looking into changing their security policy, and revamping how employees deal with customers that are getting out of hand.
"The employee did what he felt was right," said Detective Grffin. "He was doing his job. Who would have ever thought that this crowd would have turned on him and attacked him?"
Detective Griffin urged anyone who feels that a situation has the potential to go badly, to call police and have them handle the situation.