MIAMI – A confrontation involving a customer, a CVS clerk and a manager led to the two employees being beaten inside the Miami store, authorities said.
According to the suspects’ arrest reports, the incident occurred around 11:15 a.m. March 23 at the CVS located at 4800 Biscayne Blvd.
Police said Shanetria Neomi Pitts, 32, entered the store and asked to purchase Plan B medication.
Police said a store clerk handed Pitts the medication before assisting other customers at a different register.
Another clerk noticed the line at the register was increasing so she went over to ring up Pitts’ medication, authorities said.
According to the report, the clerk noticed Pitts had manipulated the Plan B box and was fidgeting with her purse, so she informed her that the medication needed to be purchased since the box had been opened.
Pitts then became enraged, yelling at the clerk that she had the money to pay and is not a thief, police said.
Authorities said the clerk called her manager over to assist because Pitts was being “disrespectful” toward her.
According to the report, Pitts told the store manager that she left her wallet in her car, so she went outside to get it and then returned to the store to make her purchase.
But police said Pitts remained in her car when she was done for a few minutes before another car pulled up and parked next to her.
In that car, police said, was Windell Sweetenburg, 23, who went back into the store with Pitts, at which time Pitts swung at the manager, who was still at the register.
According to the report, Pitts grabbed onto the woman’s “hair, removing it from her head.”
Police said the victim fell to the ground while trying to disengage with Pitts.
The clerk who initially got into a verbal altercation with Pitts went over to try to help her boss and was attacked by both Sweetenburg and Pitts, who went behind the register, authorities said.
Police said the duo continued to attack both women, and at one point, the manager felt Sweetenburg grabbing her cellphone from her right rear pocket before taking the store keys and leaving the business.
Both victims identified the suspects in a photo lineup on March 27.
Pitts and Sweetenburg were arrested Wednesday. Police said Pitts invoked her right to remain silent, while Sweetenburg provided a “full confession.”
Both suspects face strongarm robbery charges.
Pitts appeared in bond court Thursday, where the store manager spoke about what happened.
“You decided to come back to the CVS and put your hands on me and another employee,” the victim said.
Police said both employees were hospitalized after the attack.
“It took a real toll on us -- not just mentally, but physically as well,” the manager said.
Both suspects remain in jail without bond, as of Thursday, and the judge had some strong words for Pitts.
“She made a conscious decision to go into the CVS, and the lady offered to let her pay. The lady even stole the keys to the store, stole her phone (and) never returned it,” the judge said.
The manager said she has worked for CVS for 15 years and this is the first time she has been attacked.