DORAL, Fla. – A man was arrested Friday morning after he pepper sprayed a Walgreens employee in Doral, authorities said.
The incident occurred at the store at 9675 NW 41st St.
According to Doral police, the suspect was shoplifting when he was confronted by the employee.
Police said the suspect responded by pepper spraying the employee, and as a result, the chemical substance got into the air and AC vents around the store, quickly spreading and causing customers and employees to cough.
Police confirmed that one person was transported to a hospital with minor irritation to their eyes.
The suspect has been taken into custody.
His identity was not immediately released.
About an hour later, a very similar incident unfolded at a Walgreens at 8450 Southwest 24th Street in Miami-Dade. Police said two people went inside and attempted to shoplift when they were confronted by a store employee.
Police said the suspects drove off in an unknown direction.
Police have not confirmed if the two incidents are related and continue to investigate both encounters.
Both stores have since reopened. No one was seriously injured in either incident.