POLICE AUDIO CAN BE FOUND AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE: Law enforcement received a call around 1:12pm on August 18th after reports of an assault and mental health crisis at Tops in North Tonawanda.
The 911 caller and victim told police that he was shopping inside Tops when he saw a woman who looked troubled that was pacing back and forth. He asked the woman – described as white, thin and 5’ tall – if she was okay, to which she looked at him and punched him on the side of the face. The suspect then fled Tops on foot. It was then discovered from crisis services that the same woman struck and/or threatened to strike a neighbor of hers prior to arriving at Tops.
Police responded to the area and found her walking down the street. She became hysterical and combative with police, screaming and threatening to spit in anyone’s face who gets close enough to detain her. She was ultimately taken into custody. It is unknown whether she was arrested or brought for mental health treatment. No further information is available at this time…