The Moment An ‘Ax Man Michael Palacios, 31, Terrorizes New York McDonald, Released Without Bail’ A man went berserk inside a New York City McDonald’s early Friday morning, terrifying customers with a hatchet and causing plenty of property damage before he grabbed his bicycle and left the establishment.
Michael Palacios, 31, was charged with criminal mischief, three counts of menacing, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and released without bail, the New York Post said.
Palacios used his hatchet to attack a glass wall and some tables, but no one was hurt.
An incidental video showed Palacios arguing with three individuals inside the McDonald’s. The three punched Palacios while he was quiet and silent, knocking him about.
The three men quickly retreated when Palacios removed his backpack and reached inside for a camping hatchet.
@CrimeInNYC NYC always good for some chaotic mayhem. He didn’t hurt anybody, but could have been ugly ! pic.twitter.com/I6WvqROuGR
— Shakes Mcgoo (@McgooShakes) September 17, 2022
A witness claimed Palacios went on his rampage after a woman rejected him, but that’s not seen in the video, and he doesn’t reach for the hatchet until after he’s pummeled by the three men, who weren’t charged.
The Post tried to speak with Palacios, but he declined and pointed them to his Instagram account where he said he’d posted about the incident. CrimeOnline didn’t find the post, although the newspaper said Palacios had been dubbed “the ax man” on social media.
The Post said the mess had been cleaned up at the Delancey Street McDonald’s by Saturday, with nothing left but a hole in the wall by the restroom.
Ax Man Michael Palacios, 31, Terrorizes New York McDonald, Released Without Bail
The accused madman who flew into an ax-wielding rampage at a Lower East Side McDonald’s says he wasn’t trying to hurt anyone — just teach them a lesson.
Michael Palacios, a 31-year-old Manhattan messenger, said in an interview that he was simply trying to scare the McDonald’s patrons who punched him early Friday when he pulled out a “tomahawk” from his backpack and began swinging.
“My intentions were not to hurt anyone,” Palacios told ABC-News. “My intentions were not to put anyone in the hospital or dice anybody up.
“The reason why I pulled out the hatchet was, ‘Ok, I’m gonna get back at these guys,’ ” Palacios told the outlet. ” ‘I’m gonna make sure that they don’t jump me again.’ “
Cellphone footage from the rampage inside the Delancey Street fast-food eatery shortly before 2:30 a.m. Friday shows Palacios trying to talk to a woman in the restaurant.
An Uber Eats driver who shot the incident on his cellphone said Palacios grew angry when the woman “rejected” him.
But Palacios, who allegedly admitted to ABC that he had been drinking at the time, only mentioned to the outlet that the incident occurred after a security guard refused his request to use the bathroom. Palacios claimed that he got into an argument with a customer, and things went south from there.
Three patrons jumped him and pummeled him with punches, according to the Uber Eats driver and video.
Palacios then pulled out the ax and smashed up the restaurant.
“I waited for them to finish what they were doing, and I just did what I wanted to do,” he told ABC. “The most important thing is, don’t be afraid to defend yourself.”
Palacios said he carried the ax in his backpack because of his job as a messenger.
“I’m always out there on the road, so I’m always actually getting into it with drivers, which is what the tomahawk is for,” he said. “It’s not for people. It’s for trees and, you know, vehicles.”
After his Friday morning tirade, Palacios left the restaurant on his bicycle but was arrested by cops nearby on Ludlow Street.
Michael Palacios Arraigned In Court, Details
He was arraigned on charges of criminal mischief and weapons possession late Friday and was released without bail, Manhattan prosecutors said. Neither of the charges against him was eligible for bail under the state’s controversial bail reform laws.
Palacios, asked by ABC if he wanted the three McDonald’s patrons who allegedly assaulted him first to be charged, said he didn’t think it was necessary.
“You don’t need to be in jail for a lesson,” he said. “I hope the fear they felt that night is enough to never assault someone again.”
