Chance the Rapper's Bodyguard Sued for Alleged Assault

Chance the Rapper's bodyguard is being sued over a physical altercation that resulted in his arrest.

The incident went down at Chicago's W Hotel in summer 2017, just two days before Chance was set to perform at Lollapalooza. The plaintiff, Travis Montgomery, claimed security guard Star Thomas attacked him inside the hotel lobby, following a brief encounter earlier that day. Surveillance footage shows Thomas confronting Montgomery before throwing him against the wall with his hand around his neck.

"This was an unprovoked, vicious attack that came without reason or warning," Montgomery's attorney Tim Tomasik wrote in a statement. "Tyler was simply a hotel guest walking through the lobby, not posing a threat or even interacting with Chance the Rapper."

Authorities arrived at the scene shortly after, and Thomas was taken into custody on a misdemeanor battery charge. According court documents obtained by the Chicago Sun Times, the charge was ultimately dropped one month later because Montgomery failed to appear in court.

The lawsuit states that Montgomery's first run-in with Thomas occurred shortly before the attack. The plaintiff claims he had tried to board an elevator that was occupied by Chance and his team, but as he attempted to step inside, Thomas allegedly blocked him; so Montgomery backed away and waited for another elevator.

The plaintiff is seeking unspecified damages for injuries. Guardian Security Services, Starwood Hotels, and the W Hotel's local Director of Operations are listed as co-defendants.

"While Star Thomas was the person actually choking Travis and violently injuring him, the hotel and its ownership and management are responsible for allowing the incident to happen," Tomasik said. "When you're a guest at a hotel, they owe you the 'highest duty of care,' and have to take the right steps to ensure your safety. The W Hotel knew there would be hundreds of guests around their property during Lollapalooza, which attracts music fans from around the world, and absolutely failed to have adequate security to protect guests in the lobby and hotel."