McDonald’s “Ax-Man” Said He Was Only Defending Himself When He Pulled Out Weapon [Video]

The man who was captured on video brandishing a small ax in New York has broken his silence about what led to the altercation. 

On Friday, the New Yorker was seen confronting customers inside the Delancey Street McDonald’s on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. According to the ax-man Michael Palacios, an argument with the patrons escalated to a physical altercation. In the video, you can see Palacios and the three men fighting before they begin getting the best of Palacios, beating him in the head and face.

He then breaks free from the men and retrieves the ax from his bag before turning to face the men. One man is seen backing away from Palacios before he busts a glass display with the ax. Palacios then confronts one of his assailants and hits him in the face. However, during a sit-down with a local news outlet, the 31-year-old says he is not the villain and was instead defending himself.  

“My intentions were not to hurt anyone. My intentions were not to put anyone in the hospital or dice anybody up,” he explained. Instead, he wanted to teach his attackers a lesson and ensure they did not jump him again.

Palacios was arrested and charged with criminal mischief, three counts of menacing, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. Police also located a knife inside his bag. The other men involved in the altercation have not yet been charged, but the investigation is ongoing. 

The man with the axe in McDonald’s did a interview 😅 pic.twitter.com/MSuwUq0k5g

— Mela Yela (@_melayela_) September 19, 2022