Police Search For Suspect Accused Of Attacking Spencer Store Clerk

A suspect is on the run Sunday night after Spencer Police say he brutally attacked a store clerk. Now, police need your help to identify the customer they say went too far.

Vincent McPherson, 32, said he was just stocking shelves at the Family Dollar in Spencer when a customer knocked him down and started punching him, all because his girlfriend received the wrong change.

"Something had to be wrong with him. I mean, you got your money back, it's really no reason for what he did," said McPherson.

What started off as a normal Saturday evening at work at Spencer's Family Dollar on NE 23^rd St., took a violent turn for McPherson. He says he mistakenly gave the wrong amount of chance to a regular female customer, who paid with a $100-bill. So she later returned to get her money.

"You know, I counted my drawer down, gave her the $20 change back and told her have a nice day. I didn't think anything of it," he said.

But she did, and brought in her boyfriend to settle the score.

"He comes in later and says ‘You were disrespecting my girl.' And I'm like ‘What are you talking about?'" said McPherson, who's worked at the store for three years. "Sucker punches right in my nose, and once he hit me in my nose, my nose started bleeding, and it was a fight after that."

The suspect takes off, and McPherson is shown on surveillance racing to the door with a fire extinguisher, as a co-worker holds him back and calls police.

"It was almost kind of like a street fight took place in the store," said Spencer Police Chief Virgil Green. "The assault was pretty brutal, where the store actually had to be closed after the assault occurred, responding officers said it was a lot of blood in that part of the store."

McPherson was bleeding on his hands and had knots and bruises on his head. More than the injuries, McPherson just wants the man who hurt him caught.

"If he can get away with fighting me and running out of there and nobody catches him, you know that's kind of scary," McPherson said.

McPherson was treated at the hospital for a broken nose and several cuts. He says the Family Dollar has a panic button at the register, but it did not work when his co-worker tried it.

Spencer Police are asking for other witnesses to come forward. If you recognize the suspect from the surveillance video, call (405) 771-3798.