CLEVELAND (WJW)– The terrified owners of a local business are looking for justice after a shopper went on a violent rampage. The owners of a west side beauty supply store are recovering from injuries and hoping someone can help identify the suspect so police can put her behind bars.
Surveillance cameras captured video of a woman violently attacking the owners of Chic Plus Beauty Supply store on Lorain Avenue in Cleveland at about 5 p.m. Friday. The owners’ son, David Jo, said he did not learn of the attack until Monday morning, when his brother sent him a video clip.
“Watching your parents get thrust around and dragged around the store they worked so hard for… I couldn’t finish watching the video obviously,” David Jo said.
“May I please have my items please, I will leave and get out of your hair, you will never see me in your store again,” the unidentified woman is heard saying in cell phone video recorded by one of the owners.
Cleveland police said the woman was trying to buy something using a pre-paid debit card that was declined.
“All I’m trying to do is get my items, that’s it. I’m not being belligerent,” she said.
“We cannot give you anything because it’s not cleared,” replied the owner.
“My father explained it to her very clearly that the reason you’re not able to walk out with the product is… There’s no money in your account. The card was denied, therefore, obviously, you can’t take the product out of the store and that seemed to set her off,” Jo said.
The surveillance video shows the woman knock down the man, leap behind the counter and attack both owners. It shows the suspect dragging Jo’s mother by her hair from behind the counter, while destroying displays in the store. Some of their injuries are too graphic to show.
“I just saw my mom today since it happened and she’s all bruised up, her hair’s been pulled out, she has bruises all over her body… My dad’s mouth was all bloodied up,” Jo explained.
Jo said his family has operated the store on Lorain Avenue for about five years and although they’ve dealt with irate customers, it’s never been anything like this.
“I don’t think anybody expects their parents to get brutally beaten like that and them having to watch a video and not being able to do anything about it… It’s pretty tough, I felt very helpless,” he said.
The owners are originally from South Korea, but have lived here in the Cleveland area for the past 25 years.
Cleveland police said right now, the woman responsible for the attack would face felonious assault and vandalism charges, but they are also investigating whether this could be a hate crime.
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