Purple Heart recipient beaten in Lakewood bar
Mar 5, 2012, 4:56 AM | Updated: 2:15 pm
 Hotis was struck over the head by s 25-year-old Christopher (“Kaze”) James Keup, according to police. |
An Iraq war veteran who survived a rocket attack was beaten severely at a Lakewood bar last week in a dispute over chalk.
Todd Hotis’ body is covered with welts from an unrelenting pool cue attack. Friends say he was hit at least 30 times.
Hotis was struck over the head by s 25-year-old Christopher (“Kaze”) James Keup, according to police.
The cues started flying when he asked another pool player if he’d seen his chalk.
Hotis said it’s worse than anything he experienced during his 19 years in the Army.
“I was hit by a 122mm Katyusha rocket and blown through a wall,” he told Q-13. “With that I was on mission the next day. Here, I’m not back on mission the next day.”
Police police have already arrested one suspect, but are still looking Keup.
A witness identified Keup and later identified his friend as being in the area of the fight yelling at the victim during the assault.
Police say Keup is “considered possibly armed and potentially dangerous.”
Hotis says he went to the bar last Tuesday to raise a toast to a murdered friend, State Trooper Tony Radulescu.
Tips on the whereabouts of Keup can be made to TPCrimeStoppers.com.
