KITCHENER -- A grocery store in a small southern Ontario town is the scene of two separate assault investigations less than two weeks apart.
The most recent incident at the Zehrs in Tillsonburg involved a physical confrontation over someone not wearing a mask while shopping.
The Norfolk County OPP says they were called to the store on Monday after two customers reportedly got into a shouting match which turned into a physical confrontation.
In a news release, police say the suspect then left the store. They're now trying to identify the person by reviewing the surveillance footage.
A week earlier, police say a person was charged after allegedly assaulting a grocery store employee.
In that case, there was a verbal altercation between the employee and the accused a few days earlier. That altercation escalated into a physical one.
A 36-year-old Toronto resident was charged with assault in that case.
The individual was due in court at a later date. Police confirm these incidents both happened at the same Simcoe Street grocery store.
While Tillsonburg is a stone's throw away, Waterloo Region hasn't been immune to these types of incidents.
Through March and April, Waterloo Regional Police reported an increase in "aggressive behaviour," with several people charged in incidents of behaving badly.
Here’s a breakdown of those incidents:
- March 20: A woman was charged with assault and common nuisance (endangering a life) after she allegedly coughed on an elderly woman in a Cambridge drive-thru.
- April 1: A 23-year-old man on Linden Road was charged with failing to comply with an order made during a declared emergency.
- April 4: A police officer was assaulted while trying to make an arrest. A male suspect is facing numerous charges including assault a peace officer.
- April 4: A male has been charged with assault and mischief after he allegedly spit on a Tim Hortons employee in Waterloo because he was declined service in the drive-thru.
- April 5: Police in Cambridge charged a woman with assault as a result of a domestic dispute stemming from a “COVID-19 argument/isolation.”
- April 11: Police charged a man with two counts of assault afterhe allegedly got into a disagreement over a long lineup outside a Real Canadian Superstore in Kitchener.
- April 14: Police were called to a Food Basics store in Cambridge after a man allegedly spit into the faces of two employees. He’s now been charged with two counts of assault.