Police charged an assistant manager of a business for the violent attack on a customer in Irvington Township on Thursday.
According to a statement released by Irvington Police, on May 26, at approximately 7:09 p.m., officers responded to the Dollar Tree store located at 886 Springfield Avenue to investigate reports of a fight inside the establishment.
When police arrived, they found the male customer and a female employee exchanging heated conversations in front of the store.
The customer was treated for a minor injury to his eye after the manager reportedly sprayed the man in the face with pepper spray during the violent physical encounter.
A 13-minute videotape which was recorded by a witness, showed the manager, Ms. Alliah Vasquez, 29, of Irvington, grabbing, repeatedly punching and pulling the hair of the unidentified customer until the pair reached the front of the store near the entrance.
According to the video, the customer, on several occasions, begged Vazquez to release his hair from her tightly gripped hand even while raising his hands to surrender or submit. “I will not hit her,” the customer shouted.
Once at the front of the store, the video showed Vasquez forcing the customer to the floor, which prompted other employees and customers to engage and separate the two.
Irvington Police officials told RLS Media that after an investigation, Vasquez was arrested for assaulting the customer inside the store.
“Mrs. Vasquez was booked and charged with aggravated assault. She then was released pending a court appearance,” officials said.
Officials at Dollar Tree’s Chesapeake, Virginia, corporate office did not immediately return our request for a statement regarding the incident.
No serious injuries were reported.
