Detroit Pizza Bar targeted by violent vandals
(CBS DETROIT) - An act of brazen vandalism over the weekend resulted in a Detroit pizzeria temporarily shutting its doors.
Marcus Jones and his co-owner opened Detroit Pizza Bar two years ago in Detroit's Livernois-Six Mile (Live6) neighborhood, creating a dine-in restaurant experience the area hadn't seen in decades.
"[The vandalism] was planned," Jones said. "They had a mask on, and they showed up with bags of rocks, and they purposely stopped in front of [our restaurant], started throwing rocks at the building, and then they just left."
The person behind the act left behind broken windows, shattered glass on the ground and thousands of dollars worth of damages.
Jones says his pizzeria was closed over the Labor Day weekend to give himself and staff a break. Jones was out of the country on vacation when a video of the incident was sent to his phone.
"We don't really close often," Jones said. "But this particular weekend I wanted to give my employees time off, and someone took advantage of us being closed during that time."
Jones says his pizzeria is more than just a restaurant; it's a community hub where workshops and meet-ups often happen.
He says he's unfortunately had to navigate something similar when the shop was broken into the first year it opened, but despite his frustrations, he doesn't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.
"When we started Detroit Pizza Bar, we wanted to be a staple in the community, and we will be that staple, and we will be that safe place," he said.
Detroit police confirmed they are investigating and searching for a suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call the Detroit Police Department.