In Rocky Mount, North Carolina, a video has surfaced showing an employee at a small convenience store beating a customer who is having a seizure.
The community is now furious since the victim has been hospitalized and is unable to move his entire body days later.
Around 3:30 p.m. on December 22, at the Princess Market convenience store.
after a 56-year-old Black guy entered the business on West Raleigh Boulevard
Gregory Evans began to have a seizure, according to his family, when the clerk came out from behind the counter to confront him.
Despite the fact that Evans was having a medical emergency, the individual began to beat him with a stick.
Other diners’ cell phones captured the savage assault.
WRAL, a local NBC affiliate, aided in the assault investigation by supplying officials with video footage of the incident that they had already obtained.
Sobhi Hassan, 68, was detained earlier on Tuesday, Dec. 28, by Rocky Mount Police Department and charged with simple assault in connection with the incident.
During Evans’ seizure, Hassan can be seen shouting at him, “Get out now,” before coming over and slapping him on the leg six times.
Evans has been admitted to the hospital and is undergoing testing as a result of the altercation.
Acts of civil disturbance have erupted in response to the tragedy, with many demanding Evans’ justice.
Protesters picked up rubbish while collecting signatures for a petition calling for the store’s closure, stating that it has a history of treating customers “in a hostile and discriminating manner.”
The incident is still being investigated by local officials to see if it can be classified as a hate crime.
On Monday, Dec. 27, during a meeting held by civil rights activist the Rev. Thomas Walker, his sister, Edith Cooper, presented an update on his condition at the Ebenezer Baptist Church.
The purpose was to give the community a voice and to hear from the police about the investigation’s progress.
She informed the community, “He’s a little slow … and he still doesn’t have full mobility of his body at this time.” She also noted that her brother said that his back and legs are “hurting.”
In a discussion on the investigation that lasted about an hour and 20 minutes, Police Chief Robert Hassell encouraged the community to be patient as they gather information.
“Once that is complete, then we will take the appropriate action and move this case forward,” Hassell said. “Give the police department and our District Attorney’s Office a chance to do what we are hired to do.”
He continued, “I only ask the community: Please remain calm and let the police department conclude this investigation — and we will take the necessary actions that need to be taken, in lockstep with our District Attorney’s Office, to make sure that we have a solid case if there is one to be brought.”
He said they had more information about the assault, including more footage.
Hassell also stated that due to Evans’ health, he was unable to communicate with him.
Cooper stated during the gathering at Rev. Walker’s church that her brother was unable to strike Hassan back after he was hit due to the seizure.
She claimed that her brother clutched the counter involuntarily while experiencing the seizure’s shaking and convulsions.
Cooper went on to say that witnesses escorted him out of the store and called an ambulance to report the incident.
According to his sister, responders first treated him just for the seizure before learning that he had been beaten.
