72-year-old Walmart greeter allegedly punched in the face by customer: 'I'm scared to work'

A 72-year-old Walmart greeter said he was only "doing his duty" when a customer allegedly punched him in the face during his shift on Friday night.

"He punched on my face with a closed right hand," Mohinder Singh Randhawa told KTRK. "I fell down on the ground."

The alleged assault, at the entrance of the store in Cypress, Tex., was one Randhawa says he never saw coming, apparently touched off when the greeter asked to see the customer's receipt.

Randhawa was reviewing the suspect's receipt on June 14, he said, “when I noticed that there was a case of Gatorade that had not been paid for.” Randhawa, who has been with the company for 15 years, told the station that occasionally a cashier simply misses an item while scanning.

"I told him if you want, you can scan and take it," Randhawa said, adding that he never implied that the suspect, Craig Valentine, 42, was attempting to steal the product.

In a security video, Valentine appears to become agitated, pushing Randhawa before punching him in the face.

The hit caused Randhawa to black out, and he doesn't remember much of the attack. He still can't bring himself to watch the security footage.

"My left upper lip was broken from here, blood started out, and inside also there was a cut about half an inch," Randhawa said of the injuries he sustained.

Randhawa, who said he was only performing the duties that the job entails, is now afraid to return as a greeter.

"I'm scared to work that position," he said, adding that in all his years at the company he had never experienced anything like this.

Police responded to a call regarding the assault on the day it took place, but the suspect had already left the scene, according to a statement released by Constable Mark Herman's Office.

"On June 17, 2019, the suspect called representatives from Wal-Mart and admitted to the assault. Constable Deputies were able to locate and apprehend him," the statement read.

"Craig Valentine was arrested and booked into the Harris County Jail, charged with Injury to the Elderly," Constable Herman stated. Valentine was given a $1,000 bond.

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