A dispute over face masks at a Florida Walmart has ended with an arrest after deputies say a man pulled a gun on another shopper.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Vincent, 28, was caught on surveillance cameras at a Walmart in Royal Palm Beach on July 12, pulling a handgun from his waistband during an argument with another shopper. The sheriff’s office says he was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and improper exhibition of a firearm.
The arrest report, as reported by the South Florida Sun Sentinel, says Vincent was pushing his father, who uses a wheelchair, when fellow shopper Christopher, 46, asked him to wear a mask because of COVID 19. Christopher, who was shopping with his young daughter, told investigators that Vincent launched into a tirade, aimed the gun at his head and threatened to shoot him, according to the report.
Deputies say Vincent and his father then left the store, and investigators used screenshots from the surveillance footage to identify him.
Vincent gave authorities his own version of events. According to the report, he said he took his mask off inside the store because it got wet outside during a storm, and he claimed Christopher hit him with an umbrella. He later said he was not sure whether the umbrella actually made contact. Christopher told investigators that he raised his umbrella during the confrontation but also was not sure whether it hit Vincent.
The report says Vincent turned his handgun over to investigators as evidence and provided a valid concealed carry permit. Online jail records show he was released from the Palm Beach County jail on a $15,000 bond after his arrest on Wednesday.
The sheriff’s office shared news of the arrest on Twitter, saying the situation could have ended badly. The charges are allegations, and the case had not been decided in court at the time of this report.
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