Duo Charged With Assaulting Brick 7-Eleven Clerk: Police

BRICK, NJ — Two people who have been charged with assaulting a convenience store clerk Saturday morning were identified thanks to an observant bystander, Brick Township police said Sunday.

Gianna Bozza, 18, of Pointe Circle, Jackson, and Shamel I. Hawkins, 22, of Creek Road, Brick, have been charged with aggravated assault, endangering an injured victim and criminal mischief, Brick Sgt. Neal Pedersen said Sunday.

Pedersen said police were called to the 7-Eleven at 1151 Burnt Tavern Road to investigate a report of an assault to one of the store's clerks. The responding officers found one of the clerks with a severe laceration to his head, Pedersen said.

The victim told police that a man and a woman came into the store about 11 a.m., purchased several items and left, then came back about 11:30 a.m. and accused the clerk of shortchanging them $20 during the earlier transaction, Pedersen said.

An argument ensued, and the woman, later identified as Bozza, began grabbing items off the counter and throwing them at the clerk, Pedersen said. As she continued to argue with the clerk, the man, later identified as Hawkins, went around the counter and assaulted the clerk, punching him with a closed fist and knocking him to the ground, Pedersen said. The clerk hit his head on the corner of a floor safe, causing the severe laceration, he said.

A second clerk came to the first clerk's aid and was attacked by Bozza and Hawkins, Pedersen said.

At that point, Bozza and Hawkins began knocking items to the floor as they left the 7-Eleven, and they got into a white SUV and fled, he said.

A customer at the 7-Eleven was able to get the license plate of the suspect vehicle, and based on this information, officers were able to identify the woman as Bozza, a white female, Pedersen said. Shortly after that, Point Pleasant police pulled over the SUV belonging to Bozza and impounded it due to an expired registration, he said.

Detective Brian Ulman investigated at the 7-Eleven, Pedersen said, and with the assistance of the Point Pleasant Police Department, was able to identify the male as Hawkins, a black male.

Warrants were issued for both Bozza and Hawkins, with bail set at $50,000, with no 10 percent option, Pedersen said. Bozza and Hawkins turned themselves in on Sunday, Pedersen said.

Hawkins was listed in the Ocean County Corrections Department inmate records on Sunday evening but his photo was not immediately available. Bozza was not listed in the jail records Sunday evening but it was not immediatley clear whether she had posted bail.

Pedersen said Ulman was assisted by Patrolman Richard Nelson.

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