A Tennessee man has been arrested after police say he bit his infant son during a chaotic public outburst at a Memphis restaurant. According to Law & Crime, 34-year-old Jerry Stark allegedly attacked the child shortly before 1 a.m. at Memphis Wings.
When officers arrived, Stark was reportedly inside the restaurant screaming. Authorities say that prior to the incident, Stark had been seen at both a Shell and a Marathon gas station asking for help while holding the infant.
Witnesses Intervened Inside Restaurant
Investigators say Stark ran into Memphis Wings carrying his son and began squeezing him. Police allege the child turned blue while on the kitchen floor.
Witnesses and patrons inside the restaurant reportedly intervened and managed to stop him. Authorities say the infant was also bitten on the cheek during the incident. Videos uploaded to Facebook show bystanders preventing Stark from leaving the restaurant before officers arrived.
Mother Allegedly Pushed From Vehicle
An arrest affidavit states that earlier, the child’s mother was allegedly pushed out of a moving vehicle. Authorities say Stark then drove off with their son.
During his outburst at the restaurant, he allegedly claimed that his family wanted to kill him and that he was trying to get away.
The baby was transported to a nearby hospital and treated for a noncritical facial injury. Stark was arrested and booked into Shelby County Jail. He faces a charge of domestic assault causing bodily harm.
The investigation remains ongoing.