Former Mayoral Candidate Allegedly Beaten At Mall Of America Starbucks (GRAPHIC PHOTO)

A former mayoral candidate says he was beaten during an attempted day-after-Christmas robbery at one of the nation's largest malls.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that around 7 p.m. Thursday, Mark Andrew claims a male teenager snatched his iPhone at the Mall of America Starbucks. CBS Minnesota adds that after the phone was taken by the teen, Andrew went after the perpetrator, before being tackled by two teenage girls who beat him with a billy club. Police said the girls told Andrew "we're going to kill you."

“If somebody is gonna do that to me or somebody else, I’m not a bystander by nature I’ll go in and fight,” Andrew said, according to CBS Minnesota.

According to the Star Tribune, Andrews was taken to a local hospital where he received nine stitches. Both of the female suspects are in custody, while as of Friday afternoon, the male suspect was still on the loose. Andrew recovered his phone after the attempted thief apparently dropped it, the Star Tribune added.

“I was targeted because the phone was out and I’m 63 years old, and I’m sure they thought that I was easy pickins,” Andrew told the paper by phone.

Andrew was one of 35 candidates to run for mayor in Minneapolis' 2013 race. He finished in second place with 31 percent of the vote, falling to Democratic councilwoman Betsy Hodges. Before his mayoral run, Andrew previously served as Hennepin County Commissioner.

Watch CBS Minnesota's report above (WARNING: Contains graphic photo of the attack).