Oakland Police Looking into Alleged Violence at Whole Foods

Police are investigating an altercation between a Whole Foods Market security guard and a shopper Thursday night in Oakland, police said today. Police received a call at 9:42 p.m. from Oakland fire officials about an unconscious man at the store at 230 Bay Place, police spokeswoman Johnna Watson said.

Security at the store had called the fire department, Watson said. The security guard has been suspended and the company is looking into the incident with its security firm, Whole Foods spokesperson Beth Krauss said.

A person claiming to be a witness to the incident said in a Facebook post that the guard slammed the shopper repeatedly against concrete pillars, put the person in a chokehold, restrained him, and threw him face down on the pavement. The witness said the person was trying to buy groceries with an electronic benefit transfer card, which provides people with food stamp benefits.

“While we move swiftly to gather the facts, we want to make it clear that Whole Foods Market takes a zero tolerance approach to violence,” Krauss said in a statement.

By Bay City News