Man Assaulted Officer, Worker In Pharmacy Robbery, Reading Police Say

READING, MA — A man is facing accusations that he robbed a local pharmacy, assaulting a worker and a police officer in the process.

Police were dispatched at 4:58 p.m. Sunday on a report of a robbery in progress at a pharmacy at 650 Main St.

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Officers arrived and encountered a man who attempted to flee and resisted arrest, police said.

The man, later identified as Kai Blackmon, 19, of Reading, struggled with officers and, after repeated commands and warnings, an officer used a Taser.

The first attempt to stun him was ineffective, and officers had to stun him a second time. He was then arrested, according to police.

One officer suffered a minor injury.

A police investigation found that Blackmon forced his way into an employee-only area behind the pharmacy counter. He then shoved an employee and stole two boxes of medication, police said.

The employee suffered a minor hand injury and declined medical treatment.

Store shelves and merchandise were damaged in the robbery.

Blackmon was charged with breaking into a depository, shoplifting by asportation, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and destruction of property under $1,200.

He was arraigned Tuesday in Woburn District Court.