NEW YORK – A violent incident has shocked a community in the Bronx. Surveillance video shows a group of women inside a bodega in this county punching a cashier after a disagreement over recyclable materials and standing in line.
The events occurred in the Food Universe located in the district of Fordham Mansion in the last week of February, according to store owner Pedro Goico. The owner noted that a woman wanted to exchange her recyclables for cash, but argued with the cashier.
The woman threatened to force her way into the store if the clerk didn’t let her skip the line.
On Sunday, the disgruntled customer returned with two other women, claiming to be her daughters, Goico said. The woman surprised the cashier, Lisbel Rodríguez Luna, with a blow to the head, and seconds later they grabbed her head while another woman pulled her hair from behind, the video shows.
Security guards and other patrons moved quickly to intervene. A few days after the attack, Luna is still afraid to return to work.
“We’ll talk to her next week to see how she feels about going back to work,” said Goico, who gave Luna paid time off during the week to heal mentally and physically. “She’s a bit shocked by the situation.”
The store is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects in the beating. Goico said security will be increased with more workers ahead.
“We are very worried, the ATMs are very scared. I don’t know if these people are going to come back and try to hurt them in any way,” he said. “We won’t allow this cancer to take over our business and our people. .”
Goico also called on state and local leaders to make assaulting a grocery store worker punishable by a criminal level.