A man accused of punching a 75-year-old shopper in a Florida Publix has turned himself in.
The elderly customer was reportedly attacked after he asked a woman to maintain social distancing measures at the checkout line, WESH-2 reports. He told police that he recently had heart surgery and was being extra careful about following health guidelines, so when he asked her to take a few steps back, she complied. Officers shared a video of the attacker and the woman from the store; the two were apparently together.
The elderly man and the woman didn’t speak further, and there was no confrontation between them inside the store. However, when the elderly man went to the parking lot, he was approached by a man in his 30s.
“You [expletive] redneck gator, how dare you?” the younger man said, per ClickOrlando. He told the victim he was holding up the line, then punched him in the chest. The elderly man fell and hit his head on the asphalt.
The attacker stood over the victim and said, “One word and I’ll kill you,” according to the police report. The victim told authorities he saw the man drive away in a late-model Cadillac with the woman from the checkout line in the passenger’s seat.
While the man and woman turned themselves in on Tuesday, police are still looking for witnesses to come forward. Charges haven’t yet been filed, but the attacker could face a charge of aggravated battery on the elderly. The attacker and the woman’s identities haven’t been released.
