NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Police arrested a woman Friday who they said stole a bottle of tequila and pepper sprayed a store clerk at a Walgreens in North Miami Beach earlier this month.
Police identified the woman as 27-year-old Roneisha Sampson. She is currently in custody on unrelated charges.
According to an incident report from the North Miami Beach Police Department, officers responded to Walgreens, located at 791 NE 167th St., just after 2:30 p.m. on Jan 11, regarding an assault.
Upon arrival, officers spoke with the store manager who told them Sampson allegedly grabbed a bottle of Don Julio tequila and ran out of the store without paying.
The manager stated that about an hour later, Sampson returned to the store because she believed to have dropped her phone inside the store as she ran out, the report stated.
Police said they were able to watch video surveillance of the incident which showed the woman speaking to the manager who denied having possession of the phone.
Additional surveillance video shows Sampson walking toward the entrance of the store, at which time she took out a pepper spray bottle from her right pocket and sprayed the clerk while she was cashing out a customer.
Police said a man and his 5-year-old boy were near the register purchasing items when the incident occurred.
Authorities said the pepper spray made contact with the child’s face during the incident.
Police said the man and his child were fine and left before first responders arrived at the scene.
A store employee who asked to remain anonymous told Local 10 News Friday that she saw the entire incident unfold.
“She was like, I’m coming back for you-- I’ve got something for your efforts,” she said.
The store manager told police that he had the culprit’s phone and gave it to the North Miami Beach Police Department for evidence.
The victim told Local 10 News that she is recovering from the incident but is expected to be OK.
Jail records show Sampson was facing previous charges of aggravated battery on a police officer for a separate incident.
Her latest charges have not been announced as of Saturday afternoon.
Related media:
Suspect in Walgreens pepper spray incident has been identified as 27 year old Roneisha Sampson. She is currently in custody in Broward County Jail on unrelated charges. Thank you to the community and media for their assistance. pic.twitter.com/pOffRxZBB4
— North Miami Beach PD (@myNMBPolice) January 26, 2024