Woman Uses Bear Spray in SF Grocery Fight
- On May 12, Gilroy police said two women were arrested after one used bear spray during a fight inside a Safeway grocery store. - Police said officers responded around 4:53 p.m. to the Safeway at 905 First St., and the women arrested were 54 and 43. - Gilroy police asked anyone with information to call 408-846-0350 as the case moves forward.
Two women were arrested after a fight inside a Safeway grocery store in Gilroy escalated to the use of bear spray, according to police. The incident happened Monday afternoon at the store at 905 First St., and multiple people in the area were affected by the chemical spray, authorities said. Firefighters and paramedics evaluated those exposed, and no one was taken to a hospital, police said. The store was temporarily closed for decontamination and later reopened. ### Where and when did the confrontation happen? Gilroy police said officers were dispatched at about 4:53 p.m. on Monday, May 12, to the Safeway in the 900 block of First Street to investigate a disturbance involving two women. NBC Bay Area reported the store address as 905 First St., citing police. (nbcbayarea.com) The fight took place inside the grocery store, according to police accounts carried by local outlets. During the altercation, bear spray was discharged, affecting multiple people nearby. ### Who was arrested, and what charges were cited? Police said the two women arrested were ages 54 and 43. (nbcbayarea.com) Authorities separated them at the scene and later booked both on battery-related charges, according to NBC Bay Area and the Mercury News. The reports reviewed did not identify the women by name, and police did not describe in the published accounts what led to the confrontation. (nbcbayarea.com) Local coverage said the case remained under investigation. ### How many people were hurt by the spray? Multiple people were evaluated after the bear spray was released, police said. (nbcbayarea.com) Firefighters and paramedics responded to assess those affected inside or near the store, according to NBC Bay Area. No one was transported to a hospital, police said. (nbcbayarea.com) The published reports did not give a total number of people exposed. ### Why did the store close after the fight? Safeway temporarily shut the store after the confrontation so the aisles could be professionally decontaminated, according to the Patch item summarized on MSN and local television reports. (nbcbayarea.com) The closure followed the release of bear spray inside the building. KRON4 reported that the store later reopened. Police did not announce any broader evacuation beyond the temporary closure tied to cleanup. ### What do police want from witnesses now? Gilroy police said anyone with information about the incident should contact the department at 408-846-0350. (msn.com) The request for tips appeared in NBC Bay Area’s report after the arrests were announced. As of May 17, no additional public statement reviewed in this reporting identified the suspects or added charges beyond the battery-related arrests described in initial coverage. (kron4.com) The next public step is likely to come through Gilroy police or Santa Clara County court records if prosecutors file a case. (nbcbayarea.com)
