INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A McDonald’s franchise owner was assaulted Wednesday afternoon while working at one of his five restaurants. 

A panhandler grew combative and punched the owner after he was asked to leave a near north side McDonald’s, witnesses said.

The attack occurred around 2 p.m. at 37 W 38th St, according to a police report, and marked the latest in a string of incidents at the restaurant.

“It gets real crazy,” Joe Wills, a longtime customer, told News 8. “We have a lot of drug addicts in the neighborhood.”

He had frequented the 38th Street McDonald’s since moving to the area from Anderson in 1986. 

Wills blamed addiction, homelessness and unsupervised youth for surging crime, and said he had a “front row seat” to violence at his favorite restaurant. He and a group of friends often spent hours chatting at one the corner tables in McDonald’s.

“We come here every morning for coffee,” he told News 8. “We’re all friends with the owner.”

Wills arrived for his midday coffee fix moments after Wednesday’s assault. The franchise owner told him he was “jumped” and struck multiple times by the unwelcome guest, he said.

The suspect remained at large Thursday night. Authorities were unable to provide suspect information.

Between Sept. 2019 and January, at least six thefts and two vandalism incidents had also been reported at the McDonald’s located at 37 W 38th St, according to police reports.

In Aug. 2019, officers responded to a person shot at the same address.

In July 2019, callers reported shots fired.

In March 2018, News 8 crews were dispatched to the scene of another shooting investigation outside McDonald’s. Three suspects fled after a man was shot in the stomach, authorities said.

“There’s a lot of activity here,” said resident Kevin Branham, one of Wills’ coffee buddies. “I’m on the defense at all times. I don’t need that.”

Anybody with information about Wednesday’s assault is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 317- 262-TIPS.