Customer Assaults Dollar Store Employee, Spencer Police Investigates

A dollar store employee was assaulted by a customer Saturday evening in Spencer.

Police responded to an assault call around 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Family Dollar Store, located at 8523 N.E. 23rd in Spencer.

Spencer Chief of Police Virgil Green said when officers arrived they found the store employee had been severely beaten.

According to the news release, the employee told officers two customers, a black female and a black male, entered the store after 6 p.m. and starting arguing in an aisle. When the employee asked the two to "lower their voices," the male customer started attacking him. The employee said, at one point, he managed to get away, reached the front counter and hit the store emergency panic button.

Based on the report, another customer walked into the store as the incident occurred and contacted authorities as well.

Chief Green said the aisle where the assault occurred, had a significant amount of blood from the attack on the employee.

Spencer police said they are working with the Family Dollar Store to obtain video surveillance of the suspect. They said they are looking for a black male in his late 30s who was with a black female in her 50s. There is no vehicle description at this time.

Chief Green said the employee was taken to a local hospital with serious head injuries.

If you witnessed the assault or have information about the suspects, call the Spencer Police Department at 405-771-3798.