A woman in Spokane, Washington, was arrested for allegedly pepper spraying employees as she attempted to getaway during a shoplifting.
Authorities said 20-year-old Vanessa Schultz was taken into custody and booked into the Spokane County Regional Jail facility, per KHQ.com in a piece published Friday. (RELATED: Teacher On Leave After Alleged Link To Punishing Preschoolers By Having Them Stand Naked In A Closet)
She was charged with first-degree robbery for allegedly using pepper spray after she attempted to shoplift several items of clothing at one of the stores in the Northtown Mall and then allegedly assaulted the employees when they attempted to stop her. (RELATED: Bill De Blasio’s Daughter Arrested During New York City George Floyd Protests)
Woman arrested after shoplifting from Northtown Mall, pepper-spraying employees to escape store https://t.co/BUZzKky39h pic.twitter.com/YM7r7tfv6v
— KHQ Local News (@KHQLocalNews) July 3, 2020
The victims were able to successfully identify the woman’s vehicle to authorities and not long after her vehicle was pulled over and she was taken into custody.
Several other people were also detained but later released following an investigation.
“SPD officers are trained to thoroughly investigate allegations of crime to ensure only those committing the crimes are arrested,” the department shared in a news release.
“It is not uncommon for innocent people to be detained during the investigation of a crime,” the release added. “SPD officers use excellent judgement and outstanding investigation skills to clear innocent people, who may have been detained during the incident, as quickly as possible.”
This is not Schultz’s first offense as she has prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance and third-degree theft.