Crime & Safety
2 Accused Of Hitting Ocean County Mall Employee Over Mask Request
The victim told Toms River police the man hit her and the woman spit at her after she asked them to pull up their masks.
TOMS RIVER, NJ — Authorities are searching for two people who hit and spit at an Ocean County Mall store employee last week after she asked them to cover their faces with their masks.
The incident happened shortly after 3 p.m. July 9, said Jillian Messina, media relations specialist for the Toms River Police Department.
The victim told police a man and woman walked into Zumiez, which sells skateboards and apparel, with their face masks hanging around their necks.
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The victim, who works at Zumiez, told the two they needed to wear their masks properly to shop. She told police the man became irate, yelling, and picked up a belt and snapped it hat her, hitting her with the belt, Messina said.
As the man and woman left the store, the woman turned around and yelled at the employee, then spit at her, Messina said.
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Police searched for the two but were not immediately able to find them.
The victim provided Patch with the above photo of the two in hopes of identifying them. If you know either person, please contact the Toms River police department at 732-349-0150.
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