WESTMINSTER, Colo. (KDVR) — A metro area teen says she was assaulted inside a popular Halloween supply store after being harassed in a nearby parking lot.
Westminster Police cited another teenager and a 57-year-old woman for harassment. Nancy Garcia’s 16-year-old daughter told FOX31 she was standing in the parking lot on Oct. 16 just after 4 p.m., when a group of people made offensive gestures and taunted her.
“When I look at them, they all turn me over, and I’m like, ‘What the hell?’ The teen said.
The teen says the group followed her into the store and continued to harass her before starting a physical confrontation as employees and other customers watched.
“I just say, ‘Why are you doing this?’” she said.
Garcia told FOX31 she received a frantic phone call from her daughter explaining what was happening.
“She seemed hysterical, you know, kind of scared, like, ‘Mom, you have to come now,'” she said.
Her daughter explained what was happening inside the store.
“Next thing you know one of the females shoved one of them into my daughter to make her fight her and then all of a sudden she remembers they were all on top of her,” Garcia said.
The teen says a supervisor later intervened and handled the situation.
“I would have felt safer if I knew they wanted the police to come or something like that,” she said.
Many companies do not allow employees to get involved in disputes or arrest suspects for their safety. In some cases, doing so is a flagrant violation of company policies and can result in termination.
Garcia told FOX31 she hopes businesses develop policies that allow employees to provide more assistance to customers who need help.
“I’m not saying step into a fight, but at least call 911; if you see something happening, don’t stand there like there’s a show going on; take action, call 911,” she said.
FOX31 reached out to the Spirit Halloween corporate office to inquire about their policies. Our staff is still waiting for a response.