Two men have been charged in Lake County after a bartender at True BBQ in Munster was allegedly beaten and choked unconscious after a late-night altercation caught on video.
Rayshaun L. Cooper and Angel Hernandez Perez were both prosecuted after the incident, which occurred about 10:52 p.m. on November 4, 2025, inside the restaurant at 8940 Calumet Avenue.
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According to court documents, Munster police went to a report of a person in danger and discovered a bartender with serious injuries, including bruising, facial lacerations, swelling, and neck marks. The bartender told investigators that he was attacked by a Black male wearing all-black clothing and a Hispanic male wearing a Carhartt hoodie with a cross tattoo behind his ear, who left in a white Kia Telluride parked behind the neighboring Hampton Inn.
Police found the SUV and captured a man who matched the second suspect’s description—Angel Hernandez Perez, as identified by an Indiana driver’s license—as he attempted to flee cops around 9200 Calumet Avenue. According to officers, Perez resisted briefly before being put into prison.
Later that night, another man, Rayshaun Cooper, appeared at the Munster Police Department and inquired about his vehicle, which had been towed from the restaurant. Cooper agreed to being in a fight with the bartender but said the conflict started when he and his buddies challenged him to make difficult drinks. Cooper stated that when the bartender confronted him and used a disparaging term, he pushed him, resulting in a brawl.
Police investigated the restaurant’s security video, which allegedly showed Cooper and Perez beating the bartender after being told the bar was closed. According to detectives, the tape showed Cooper assaulting the bartender before repeatedly punching him in the face and head, while Perez approached from behind and choked him. Cooper continued pounding the bartender about 25 times before he appeared to lose consciousness.
According to the video, the fight continued until Perez released the bartender, who appeared limp, and then attempted to drag Cooper away from him. In a second video, as the bartender stood using his phone, Cooper returned and hit him around 10 more times before Perez intervened again and the two fled the building. Officers saw that the bartender did not throw any punches during either argument.
When detectives later interviewed the bartender while he was in the hospital, he stated that he feared for his life during the incident and recalls shouting, “You’re going to kill me,” while Perez choked him. He said he briefly lost consciousness during the event and has no recollection of the parts of the attack captured on camera.
Charges filed on November 6, 2025:
Rayshaun L. Cooper :
- Criminal Confinement Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury — Level 3 Felony
- Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury — Level 5 Felony
- Strangulation — Level 6 Felony
Angel Hernandez Perez :
- Criminal Confinement Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury — Level 3 Felony
- Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury — Level 5 Felony
- Strangulation — Level 6 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement — Class A Misdemeanor
Both suspects are lodged in the Lake County Jail.
