Niagara Falls Police responded to the Save-A-Lot on the 1700 block of Pine Avenue around 11:30am on May 23rd after reports of a thwarted robbery and assault of a store employee.
Upon arrival, police spoke to an employee who stated that he was working when an unknown male filled a shopping cart with 81 items and passed all points of sale without rendering payment. The employee witnessed the suspect running through the parking lot and gave chase. He was able to catch up with the suspect and push over the shopping cart.
At this point, the suspect punched the employee in his face. The suspect then picked up the shopping cart and attempted to flee again. This time a passerby knocked over the shopping cart. The suspect then punched the store employee three additional times in the ribs, face and head.
Another passerby attempted to help the employee stop the suspect, but unknown males from the corner store at 19th and Ashland Avenue came to where they were and beat up the second passerby for attempting to stop the suspect.
Law enforcement was ultimately able to catch the suspect and, after a show up was conducted to positively identify the suspect, he was arrested.
No further information is available at this time.