A recent 7-Eleven brawl in Mesquite, Texas, has caught the attention of law enforcement officials as five suspects, including two adults and three juveniles, were arrested in connection with the attack on 7-Eleven employees earlier this month. The incident, which took place on June 3, was captured on video, which showed some of the suspects jumping over the counter, assaulting the clerk, and throwing items at the employee.
According to reports, the altercation occurred after the workers refused to sell a cigar to a minor. As a result of the assault, both employees suffered facial injuries. The two adults involved in the brawl were identified as Ahliyah Turner and Kiara Beale. Turner was charged with warrants from another agency, while Beale was charged with assault causing bodily injury. The other three suspects were juveniles and their identities were not released due to their age.
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The senseless attack has raised concerns about violence against retail workers, who are often subjected to verbal and physical abuse while on the job. The 7-Eleven brawl serves as a reminder that such behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The swift action taken by law enforcement in arresting the suspects sends a message that violence will be met with consequences.
Texas has been in the news lately for a variety of reasons, including its crime rate. According to the most recent statistics, the index crime volume in 2020 was 782,974, which is a 2.8% decrease from the previous year.
This includes both violent and property crimes. While the total crime volume in Texas increased slightly in 2019 compared to 2018, the violent crime rate increased only slightly. In fact, Texas is below Arkansas, which has the highest violent crime rate in the region at 7.1 incidents per 1,000 people. Texas has 4.6 incidents per 1,000 residents.
RELATED: Video Shows Texas 7-Eleven Employees Being Attacked After Refusing To Sell Cigar To Minor
The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) programs used by law enforcement agencies in Texas and nationwide collect crime data, with the goal of transitioning to the Incident Based Reporting (IBR) program. Texas leads the nation in mass attacks in public places and had three of the country’s 34 mass attacks in public places in 2019. In response, Governor Abbott created a task force to detect and prevent mass attacks before they occur.
It’s important to note that some areas of Texas are safer than others. SafeWise recently released a list of Texas’s 50 safest cities for 2023. While crime can happen anywhere, these cities have lower rates of violent and property crimes compared to other areas. It’s worth considering if you’re planning a move or looking for a safer place to live.
Image via Mesquite Police Department