Police in California are looking into whether two 7-Eleven clerks seen in a viral video beating a brazen shoplifter with a large wooden stick will face criminal charges.
The Stockton Police Department said Saturday that they are “aware of the incident and the investigation is ongoing.”
Authorities said they will share their findings with the San Joaquin County district attorney for review once the investigation is complete.
The clerks said the store had been repeatedly victimized by the same thief, including twice in a 24-hour period, before the employees were captured on video confronting and beating a would-be robber behind the counter on July 29.
Police later found a man complaining of pain to his leg and shoulder outside the store. The man, who told police he “did not know if he had been assaulted,” was taken to a hospital.
“At the time this was reported, officers could not confirm if the male was a victim of an assault, or a suspect related to the series of robberies at the 7-Eleven,” police said Saturday.
SEE ALSO: 7-Eleven clerks take down, wallop would-be robber with large stick
The Washington Times contacted Stockton police to see if they determined whether the man is a suspect in the robberies. The Times has yet to hear back.
The viral video, taken by a customer, shows a man with a blue cloth around his head clearing shelves of tobacco products into a rolling garbage bin.
An employee then stops the robbery suspect from leaving the area behind the counter and pushes the man to the ground.
Another employee enters the frame with a large wooden stick and begins to whale on the robbery suspect, who can be heard crying out in pain on the video. The clerk mostly struck the suspect in the lower half of his body.
The Times contacted 7-Eleven for comment, but has yet to hear back.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) August 3, 2023
Two 7-Eleven employees stop and beat up a robber.
People are fed up and finally fighting back! pic.twitter.com/78NfejfmNb
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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