Business Owners Call for Stepped up Enforcement as Attacks on Employees Continue

Los Angeles, CA (WorkersCompensation.com) – Business owners in Los Angeles say attacks on employees are happening on a daily basis and that some areas of the city aren’t safe.

John Alle, a business owner in Santa Monica said crime and homelessness have reached a crisis stage. Members of the Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City that Alle is a member of posted a sign over a popular shopping mall that reads “Santa Monica is not safe.” 

Alle told Fox & Friends that as many as five storefronts are vandalized or destroyed each month and employees are in danger. Alle blamed homeless people in the area. 

"We have employees being attacked to and from their cars every day on the way to work," Alle told host Brian Kilmeade. "The typical weapon of choice is a six-inch knife, cast iron six-inch pipe, or a sawed-off fishing rod. That's how bad it is." 

According to data released by state officials in August, California has seen an overall increase in violent crime in 2021. 

"While crime rates remain significantly below their historical highs, property and violent crimes continue to have devastating consequences for communities across the state," Florida Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. 

Alle urged city officials to increase law enforcement presence in the area, but feared that things will return to normal after the holidays are over. 

Attacks on employees are continuing across the country. 

On Dec. 20, a woman was arrested at the Miami International Airport after she attacked an airline employee there. 

Police said they arrested Camilia McMillie, 25, after she assaulted an American Airlines employee. Officials said McMillie was traveling from Alabama to New York City with her children when they had a layover in Miami. Police said McMillie got angry after she couldn’t find her children when they walked off to use the bathroom. McMillie took her frustrations out on the gate agent, police said, screaming, walking behind the desk, tossing keyboards and ripping the board pass reader off the wooden counter. 

Video of the incident showed her grabbing a computer monitor and throwing it, hitting the agent in the shoulder. 

McMillie was held by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers until Miami-Dade Police arrived. Police said the incident caused more than $10,000 worth of damage to American Airlines property. McMillie was charged with aggravated battery charge, among others.

American Airlines said in a statement that passenger outbursts were not acceptable. 

“Acts of violence against our team members are not tolerated by American Airlines, and we are working closely with law enforcement in their investigation,” Derek Walls, spokesman for the airline said in a statement.

On Dec. 18, police in Glen Cove, New York, said they were looking for a man who attacked a female employee in a CVS store in the midst of a robbery. Police said the man broke into the manager’s office and assaulted the female manager before stealing an unknown amount of money and running out the back door of the store.

On Dec. 16, Case Western Reserve University police arrested a student after he allegedly attacked a university employee and another woman at the Triangle Apartments on Mayfield Road.

Police records said Aiden Kim, 19, was arrested and charged with assaulting Dorothea Hunter, a housekeeper at the university. She and another woman were both taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Hunter told officers Kim kicker and “just started beating” her. Hunter’s daughter, Ashley, said her mother was punched in the face and head area numerous times 

“She was just at work doing her job,” Ashley Hunter told Fox 8 in Cleveland. “She did have to undergo some eye surgery.” 

Court records said Kim was suspected of being under the influence of LSD at the time. 

“This was an extremely brutal attack,” attorney Tom Merriman, Hunter’s attorney, said. “We are going to pursue every avenue to hold this young man accountable for what he did because this was an unbelievable brutal beating.”

Case Western Reserve released a statement about the incident. 

“Our hearts go out to those who were injured, as well as their loved ones. We continue to hope for their full recoveries,” the statement said. “Finally, we are deeply grateful for the quick response of law enforcement and others in apprehending the suspect.” 

In Jackson City, Tenn., police arrested a man on Dec. 17, after he allegedly attacked a Hampton Inn employee and later, first responders. 

In a press release, the Johnson City Police Department said Timothy Libbey, of Athens, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault against a first responder, three counts of simple assault against a first responder and resisting arrest. 

Police said they were called to the hotel to respond to a call of a physical assault. When they got there, they found Libbey had attacked the hotel employee. Libbey then attacked the responding officers in an “unprovoked manner” during the investigation. Officers subdued Libbey and took him to Johnson City Medical Center for evaluation. He was later taken to the Washington County Detention Center and was being held on a $101,000 bond.

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