A chef at a restaurant in Revere, Massachusetts, has been arrested for attacking a coworker with a meat cleaver.
The owners of the family-owned Jing's Garden are struggling to understand why 60-year-old Jiemou Xu allegedly slashed and stabbed a server repeatedly around 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
Several people in neighboring businesses heard the screams and saw the injured woman lying on the ground.
Lou Schorr, the owner and chef of Maekha Thai, a restaurant next door on Squire Road, recalled speaking to the owner of Jing's on a hectic night.
"I looked at him, I said, 'What's going on?'" said Schorr. "'Oh my God,' he says. 'My cook went nuts.'"
Schorr said the owner told him the chef was armed with a meat cleaver and that the violence was unprovoked.
Most of the woman's injuries were to her face and neck.
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"She was hacked up pretty bad," said
The chef was still inside the restaurant when police showed up. He was quickly arrested.
The suspect will be arraigned Monday in Chelsea District Court on charges of assault with intent to murder, mayhem and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
"Wonderful couple that owns the restaurant here, great family, but it's very disturbing that something right next door like this could happen," said Schorr.
The manager of Jing's told necn the restaurant remain closed until at least Friday.
The injured server underwent surgery and is recovering at Massachusetts General Hospital.
