She asked fellow shopper to put on face mask, then was thrown to floor, NJ video shows

Video released by a New Jersey police department shows a woman thrown to the floor after asking a fellow customer to put on her face mask inside of a store.

The assault occurred Wednesday at a Staplesin Hackensack, which is about 15 miles northeast of Newark. Police are now looking for a woman who broke the leg of the woman in the assault caught on video.

The victim in the assault, described by NorthJersey.com as 54-year-old Margot Kagan, was using a fax machine at the store when she asked another customer to put on her mask. Video shows the suspect wearing the mask, but with it below her nose.

The suspect is seen in the video approaching Kagan. She then grabbed Kagan’s arm and violentlythrew her to the ground.

None of the other shoppers or employees in the store immediately came to Kagan’s aid, video shows. One woman was nearly hit by a plexiglass divider that fell when the suspect bumped into it.

The suspect is seen briefly leaving the store and then re-entering as Kagan requests help from others nearby.

Kagan, who underwent a liver transplant four months ago, broke her tibia in the fall, according to Storyful.

She told New Jersey’s News 12 on Thursday she is in “a whole different world of pain” while sitting in her hospital bed.

Police are searching for the suspect, who they say is a Black woman, 5 feet 3 to 5 feet 8 inches tall and around 180 pounds. Anyone with information is asked to contact the police department at 201-646-7777.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings while inside public places.

This story was originally published July 31, 2020 at 12:56 PM with the headline "She asked fellow shopper to put on face mask, then was thrown to floor, NJ video shows."