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Beloved Five Star Bartender Hit By Stray Bullet Now Faces Long Recovery

By Paul Biasco | July 7, 2016 6:12am | Updated on July 7, 2016 7:06pm
 Michael
Michael "LT" Almond, a bartender a Five Star Bar, was shot in his leg early Saturday morning.
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GoFundMe/Paul Biasco

CHICAGO — Service industry employees from across Chicago are coming together to help a well-liked bartender from Five Star Bar who was shot in the leg over the weekend.

Michael "LT" Almond was driving to drop off a co-worker at The Continental, a late-night bar at the corner of Chicago and California Avenues, when he heard shots ring out about 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

The shooting happened in the 700 block of North California, outside an auto body shop

One of the bullets pierced the car door and hit Almond in his leg, causing massive damage.

Paul Biasco on community efforts to help Michael Almond.

Another man on the street, who police said was a documented gang member, was shot in his neck and died on the spot, authorities said.

 Michael
Michael "LT" Almond, a bartender at Five Star Bar was shot in his leg while driving a friend to The Continental early Saturday morning.
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GoFundMe

The bullet that struck Almond hit two of the three arteries in his leg and broke his fibula. Doctors at the hospital told him he was lucky that he didn't lose his leg, according to Almond's own account posted on a crowdfunding page.

Almond, a 44-year-old father of two boys, had been splitting time at home during the week to stay with one of his sons, who suffers from cognitive disability.

On the weekends he bartended to bring in extra money for his family, according to Kyle Niekowal, a general manager at Five Star.

Almond's son, also named Michael, has had five surgeries since May, including on his brain after being born prematurely, according to the GoFundMe page and Niekowal.

"They are already in and out of the hospital a lot," Niekowal said.

Niekowal couldn't say enough about Almond's character and his care for his family.

"The guy doesn't have time to himself essentially," he said. 

Almond has already undergone multiple surgeries to repair damage to his arteries and leg and remained in the hospital as of Wednesday, according to the GoFundMe page.

Almond was taken to Stroger Hospital after the shooting. His condition was not released, but he was listed as "stable," police said.

Aside from the physical damage to the 44-year-old's leg that left him in intensive care for multiple days, he will presumably be out of work for some time, and his wife will be limited at work as she cares for Almond and their two boys.

There were also the witnesses, including four Five Star Bar employees who were at The Continental at the end of a Friday night shift who saw their co-worker get shot, Niekowal said.

The staff was "a wreck" when they came back after the weekend, Niekowal said.

The general manager had to tell employees that it was OK to tell customers and friends who have been continuously asking about the shooting that they didn't want to talk about it.

"It's a really dramatic thing," Niekowal said. "Other people beside him are trying to shake off seeing that happen."

Vendors, restaurants, bars and other businesses have been calling Five Star nonstop and dropping off gifts to raffle off or include in an upcoming fundraiser for Almond. Some items include gift certificates and even tickets to Riot Fest.

The tentative date is set for the fundraiser is July 25, a Monday night at Five Star Bar, 1424 W. Chicago Ave.

One hundred percent of bar sales will go toward Almond and his family as will proceeds from a silent auction.

The GoFundMe campaign set up by a friend had raised more than $2,300 as of Wednesday night.

Police said there was no one in custody as of Wednesday night.

The man killed in the shooting was described as a documented gang member and convicted felon by police.

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