Peterborough Police Service says a 22-year-old male clerk was assisting a customer when he was confronted by a thief wielding a baseball bat and demanding cash. (Andri Tambunan/AFP via Getty Images)
A convenience store clerk has been charged with assault after a would-be robber was allegedly struck with his own baseball bat at a Peterborough, Ont., convenience store on Jan. 5.
The incident took place at a store near King and Bethune Streets in Peterborough, about 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto, Peterborough Police Service (PPS) said in a Jan. 9 news release. The police were alerted around 2:30 a.m.
Police said a 22-year-old male clerk was assisting a customer when he was confronted by a thief wielding a baseball bat and demanding cash. A physical confrontation ensued and the clerk was hit with the bat, officers said.
The clerk managed to take the bat from the assailant, who then fled the store, police said. The clerk allegedly pursued the assailant and “struck him several times” with the bat on the sidewalk, according to the news release.
The suspect suffered head injuries and was taken to a Toronto hospital for treatment where he remains, police said, adding that the clerk was treated at the scene by paramedics.
Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of the robbery suspect. A 37-year-old male has been charged with assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon in connection with the incident.
The clerk, whose name has not been released, was also arrested, police said. A 22-year-old Peterborough man has been charged with aggravated assault in connection with the altercation. He appeared in court on Jan. 6 and is being held in custody.
The incident has sparked discussion and comments from the public, reflecting diverse opinions on the action taken by the clerk and the subsequent police charges.
In a professedly rare public statement, Chief Stuart Betts of the PPS addressed the public’s response to charges being laid against the store clerk.
Betts expressed concern over the negative commentary directed towards his team, who, he asserted, are dedicated to serving the community effectively.
He called the case “unusual” but said the incident was captured on a security camera and charges were necessary.
“This is not about politics–politics have nothing to do with the facts. This is not about race as some have suggested. This is not about the perception that criminals go free while victims of crime are penalized. This is about the law,” he said.
“I encourage you to stop and think about things before determining what you think has happened, or that an injustice has taken place, because I’m quite confident that not one person who has made a comment about this case has seen the video or has access to the actual facts.”