Elderly Man Mugged At Local Grocery Store

In the east Charlotte parking lot of a Bi-Lo grocery store, customer Melissa Cummings said all the talk around the store is about the attack of an elderly man Monday night.

“Him being an elderly man, he didn't do nothing to nobody. It's not right,” she said.

At about 9 p.m., an 82-year-old man was walking to his car at the store off Eastway Drive and The Plaza to unload his groceries. He told Eyewitness News he sensed something was wrong, when suddenly he was struck in the head by something hard.

As his attacker tried to rob him, he fought back, he said. He said he wrestled the man on the ground, and when his wallet was ripped away, he tried again to tackle the man as he fled.

It's the very kind of assault that worries other elderly shoppers who were swapping the story among themselves at the Bi-Lo on Tuesday.

“This lady was walking and said, ‘That scares me. One man got hit over the head last night.’ I started to come back and tell Howard, ‘Let's go home,’” said shopper Betty Fast.

Fast and her husband, Howard, shop at the Bi-Lo frequently, but they said they are increasingly worried about becoming victims themselves.

“(I) worry about getting hit in the head or somebody sticking a gun in your back,” Howard Fast said.

Police records show armed robberies in Charlotte-Mecklenburg were actually down significantly last month – 15 percent lower than at the same time last year.

That's little comfort to the man attacked Monday night, however, or others who said they wonder if there's more to come.

The victim of the attack asked that Eyewitness News not use his name. He said he’s OK, but he’s sore after wrestling his attacker.

The description he gave police is vague. He described his attacker as a stocky black man, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, who was wearing dark clothing.

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.