Police: Man punched in the chest outside Publix over social distancing

Police are hoping to identify this man and woman who they said were involved in a battery at a Publix store. (Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety)

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. – Police say a 75-year-old man who’d recently had heart surgery was punched in the chest and knocked to the ground after asking a woman to maintain social distancing in a Florida grocery store.

The incident happened Sunday afternoon after the man checked out at a Publix store.

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Daytona Beach Shores police say a woman cut in close behind the man in a check-out line and he asked her to follow the markings on the floor.

The man told police that there was no confrontation inside the store, but another vehicle drove up to him as he was putting groceries in his vehicle. A man got out and punched him.

The victim told police that he saw the woman who he had spoken to inside the store sitting in the passenger seat of the vehicle, which authorities said was an older model, dark-colored Cadillac.

Police are still looking for the man who punched the victim.

Anyone with further information is asked to call Detective Carrazana at 386-763-5347 or email the detective at dcarrazana@cityofdbs.org.


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