A man allegedly assaulted a special-needs individual last month for "not moving quickly enough" after placing an order at an In-N-Out outlet, and now law enforcement authorities are looking for the attacker. A cellphone footage of the incident captured by the alleged victim has now been released by Westminster police.
Officers responded to reports of an assault at around 7 pm last month (September 17) at the Westminster Boulevard location, according to a statement obtained by Fox 11.
“The victim, a special-needs man, was punched several times because he was not moving quickly enough after placing his order,'' a statement from the Westminster Police Department said. "Attacking vulnerable members of our community is not only cowardly, but it is despicable."
Authorities said they released the video hoping that it would lead them to identify a suspect. They issued a warning with the post: "If you are the suspect and you are watching this, come to WPD and turn yourself in -- otherwise, we'll find you." In the footage, the suspect is seen walking around casually as he is asked by the disabled person, “Why did you call me retarded?” numerous times. “You hit me!”
Others at the scene are seen trying to quell the heated situation. But the suspect appears to not bother and knocks the phone out of the man's hand at one point. The suspect finally responds to the victim, who has questioned the man several times until then, saying, “Because you are a f------ retard.”
According to Fox 11, the suspect is a male, possibly in his 40s, almost 6 feet tall with brown "scruffy" hair and was last seen wearing a white tee, dark-colored shorts, and black shoes.
Westminster Police Department has urged anyone with pertinent or related information to contact Cmdr. Cameron Knauerhaze at (714) 548-3791.
