Quebec liquor store employee allegedly punches customer multiple times after mask disagreement
Quebec’s alcohol retailer, the SAQ, has suspended one of its cashiers who allegedly punched a customer multiple times in the head Thursday.
The fight broke out after the customer refused to be served by a cashier who allegedly was not wearing a mask.
The customer, Mario Gosselin, says he still feels shaken by the event.
"I thought I was being killed,” he told CTV. “I thought he was killing me."
Gosselin had been waiting in line at the SAQ in Montreal North when he says he heard the unmasked cashier mocking public health measures.
Gosselin says he heard the cashier brag that his girlfriend is unvaccinated. He asked to be served by someone else.
“I didn't feel comfortable,” he said. “So, I asked to be served by another clerk, who declined to serve me and got aggressive.”
That second clerk then called a manager on his phone, Gosselin said. The clerk handed the phone to Gosselin and the manager said his employees were not obligated to serve him.
Frustrated, Gosselin says he slammed the employee’s phone down on the counter and turned to leave.
"I was angry and was heading for the door when he came toward me and punched me three times on the head."
Gosselin alleged he was knocked back into a stack of wine bottles, shattering them. While he was lying on the floor, he says an employee approached him and put a knee on the side of his head.
"I thought 'this person is losing it and they're going to kill me',” he said. “When I was on the ground with my head compressed ... my neck compressed ... I really thought I was dying."
He says he suffered minor injuries, and filed a police report the next day. He wants to press charges.
Police confirmed to CTV News that an altercation took place, and an investigation has begun.
Meanwhile, the SAQ has started its own investigation, and the employee has been suspended indefinitely.
"We need to all take a step back and reflect,” said psychologist Linda Pagani, who says two years of lockdowns, restrictions and COVID-19 anxieties have everyone feeling on-edge.
“(We all need to) try to train ourselves to be a bit more positive about other human beings," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Gunman kills at least 19 children at Texas elementary school
An 18-year-old gunman opened fire Tuesday at a Texas elementary school, killing at least 19 children as he went from classroom to classroom, officials said, in the latest gruesome moment for a country scarred by a string of massacres. The attacker was killed by law enforcement.

Biden makes urgent call for new firearms restrictions after Texas school shooting
Lamenting a uniquely American tragedy, an anguished and angry U.S. President Joe Biden delivered an urgent call for new restrictions on firearms Tuesday night after a gunman shot and killed 19 children at a Texas elementary school.
Language law Bill 96 adopted, promising sweeping changes for Quebec
Bill 96, the provincial government's controversial legislation aimed at protecting the French language in Quebec, has been adopted in the National Assembly.
U.S. senator begs for gun compromise after Texas shooting
Connecticut U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, who came to Congress representing Sandy Hook, begged his colleagues to finally pass legislation addressing the nation's gun violence problem as the latest school shooting unfolded Tuesday in Uvalde, Texas.
Society 'may not survive' Putin's war, says billionaire George Soros
Russia's invasion of Ukraine may have marked the start of "a third world war," and Russian President Vladimir Putin must be defeated "as soon as possible" if the world wants to preserve civilization, said billionaire and philanthropist George Soros.
Hedley frontman Jacob Hoggard denies rape allegations at sex assault trial
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has emphatically denied raping a teenager and a young woman nearly six years ago, testifying Tuesday that both encounters were consensual and "passionate."
Many Ontario residents could be waiting several days for power after storm
Provincial provider Hydro One said Tuesday afternoon that more than 142,000 customers in parts of Ontario were still without power after a devastating weekend storm.
RCMP suspend flights at Victoria International Airport after suspicious package discovered
Travellers who have a flight planned at Victoria International Airport (YYJ) on Tuesday afternoon are being warned of travel disruptions due to police activity.
Canada sending more artillery to Ukraine, 'crucial' to fight against Russia: Anand
Canada is sending an additional 20,000 rounds of ammunition to Ukraine for the Ukrainian military to use in its ongoing defence against the Russians. This ammunition—155mm calibre, as well as fuses and charge bags—is being donated, but comes at a cost of $98 million, according to the federal government.