Unable to Buy Cigarettes Due to Insufficient Balance, Part-Time Worker Hit with 'Brick Throw'...Forced Admission to Psychiatric Hospital

"Isn't it already paid?" Suspicion causes commotion
"Difficult situation to claim damages," diagnosis

A man was caught on camera throwing a brick at a convenience store employee after being unable to buy cigarettes due to insufficient balance.

[Image source=JTBC 'Sageon Banjang']

On the 13th, JTBC's 'Sageon Banjang' reported the story of employee A, who works at a convenience store in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province. Around 2 a.m. on the 11th, middle-aged man B entered the convenience store where A was working. At that time, B handed over a card to pay for cigarettes, but when the payment was declined due to insufficient balance, he hung his head low and showed signs of frustration by repeatedly hitting his thigh with his hand.

Then, B suddenly became angry and began to suspect A, saying, "Isn't it already paid?" When B started shouting to call the police, A reported the incident to the police as B requested. However, it was reported that B left the scene before the police arrived.

About two hours later, B, who had disappeared, suddenly appeared holding a brick and threatened A, demanding the cigarettes. The CCTV footage released by A showed B threatening A by raising the brick as if to throw it, striking the counter repeatedly with the brick, and throwing the brick twice toward A. A barely dodged the bricks thrown by B, but the brick grazed his arm, causing injury.

A immediately reported to the police, and B was caught three hours after fleeing. The police stated that B suffers from a mental illness and was immediately involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital. However, A said, "The damaged cash register terminal was replaced by the store owner," but added, "I don't know how I can be compensated for my injuries and psychological damage." Lawyer Park Ji-hoon, who saw this, commented on compensation, saying, "If a guardian managing a man with a mental illness cannot be found, it will be difficult to actually receive compensation."

Netizens who saw this reacted with comments such as, "A must have been very scared. It must be even more frustrating since it’s unclear whether he can receive compensation," "It’s confusing whether they should have just given the cigarettes even if it meant taking a loss at first," and "A must be scared that B might come back even after being discharged."