Posted Thursday, March 15, 2012 --- 10:10 a.m.

From the Madison Police Department:

Incident Type:
Battery

Incident Date:
03/14/2012 - 12:02 AM

Address:
735 E. Washington Ave. (BP gas station)

Suspect(s):
Male, black, 5'8" to 5'10", 175 pounds, wearing a black jacket.

Victim:
Male, age 28, Fitchburg

Details:
An act of chivalry ended with the battery of a 28-year-old gas station clerk early Wednesday morning.

The victim was assisting a female patron at an E. Washington Ave. BP station when a man began to hassle the woman, asking for her phone number. This was making the woman uncomfortable. Making a quick read of the situation, the clerk told the man to leave the woman alone, and if he was not going to make a purchase, he would need to depart. The man responded by yelling and swearing. The employee decided to exit the cashier's booth and direct the man to the door. He ended up getting attacked, not just by one man, but three. Two associates of the customer who was being kicked out entered the store as their friend began to punch the clerk. All three ganged up on the employee, throwing him into a wall and sending merchandise tumbling to the floor.

The victim suffered scratches and contusions but did not require hospitalization.

The men were seen driving away in a black Chrysler.