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
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.