Chance the Rapper’s Bodyguard Faces Lawsuit After Reported Beatdown Caught on Video

Chance the Rapper’s bodyguard, Star Thomas is facing a lawsuit over an alleged brawl caught on camera at a Chicago hotel.

Thomas took his protection of Chance very seriously in August of 2017, when the alleged altercation took place. In security camera footage obtained by TMZ, Thomas can be apparently be seen fighting with Travis Montgomery after he tried to get close to the rapper. Now, Montgomery is suing Thomas for the attack.

According to the lawsuit, Montgomery claims that he first encountered Chance the Rapper and his entourage that morning in an elevator. Montgomery said that Thomas ejected him from the lift because the hip hop star was in there, and it all went downhill from there.

Later on in the lobby, Montgomery said he ran into Chance’s group again, and Thomas did not hesitate to get physical with him. Montgomery claims that Thomas grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against a nearby wall, which seems to be corroborated by the security tape.

After that, the two lurched out of sight, though it appeared that Thomas was throwing punches as they went around the corner. The lawsuit specifically notes that Thomas is six feet, four inches tall and about 300 pounds, while Montgomery is five foot ten and 160 pounds. Montgomery and his lawyer argue that Thomas’ force was excessive in this case.

At the time, police were called to the W Hotel and Thomas was booked for misdemeanor simple battery. According to a report by the Chicago Sun-Times, the charges were dropped when 30-year-old Montgomery failed to show up at a court hearing. Meanwhile, Montgomery is also suing the hotel for having inadequate security. Montgomery suffered bruising to his neck and the side of his face in the incident.

“This was an unprovoked, vicious attack that came without reason or warning,” said Montgomery’s lawyer in a statement. “Tyler was simply a hotel guest walking through the lobby, not posing a threat or even interacting with Chance the Rapper.”

Chance the Rapper is not implicated in either lawsuit, though he does appear in the footage and may therefore be considered a witness. The video shows Chance and the other members of his entourage standing in apparent shock as Thomas goes after Montgomery. Chance and his representatives have not issued a comment on the incident or the lawsuit.

Montgomery is seeking over $50,000 in damages.