Arizona: Store Owner Pulls Gun on Masked Man After Being Attacked When Confronting Him on No Mask Policy

Everything is just so gosh darn silly.

WRTV:

A “no-mask” policy at a T-shirt shop north of Phoenix led to shoving, cussing, and ultimately a store owner pulling a gun on a customer in November.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said they are still investigating the incident to determine if the customer or owner will face charges.

The bizarre altercation reveals, yet again, how deeply divided the country is when it comes to wearing a mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Despite countless studies that have proven that masks limit the spread of COVID-19, store owner Scott Cerkoney says his Teeslangers T-shirt shop has a “strict no-mask policy.”

He even set-up signs out front of his store during the summer, letting customers know if they were going to enter it would be without the CDC-recommended face covering.

In late November, Everett DePue entered the shop while wearing a mask.

DePue said he was looking at T-shirts near the front of the store when he was approached by Cerkoney.

“I told this particular gentleman that there was a no mask policy,” Cerkoney said.

“He was like right in my face, and he kind of bumps me. And says, ‘get the F out of here or take your mask off,'” DePue said.

Cerkoney claims that DePue “chest bumped me, one or two times” and pushed him.

“I had a knee-jerk reaction, because he did bump me, and I pushed him back,” DePue said.

“That’s when I drew the weapon,” Cerkoney said. “And it wasn’t because he wasn’t wearing a mask.”

Both men filed police reports with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). DePue believed he was the victim of aggravated assault. Cerkoney believed DePue trespassed at his store and assaulted him.

“I don’t think I’m going to be charged, and I don’t feel I should be charged,” Cerkoney said.

“I don’t think I should be charged, but everyone always says that,” DePue said.

Store owners should be allowed to decide whether or not people wear masks in their stores, I think.

But hey – I also think bakeries should be able to decide whether or not they bake gay anal cakes.

So what the heck do I know?