Arizona gift shop owner with NO MASK policy pulls gun on customer who refused to remove his face covering or leave the store
The owner of an Arizona gift shop pulled a gun on a customer after the two got into a heated argument over the store's 'no mask' policy, according to a police report.
Scott Cerkoney, owner of Teeslangers, is said to have contacted the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in November to report that a customer had gotten physical in his Cave Creek store.
The altercation spawned after Cerkoney asked the unidentified customer to leave because he was wearing a mask, but the customer refused.
'The gentleman that was wearing the mask basically was telling him he doesn't have to leave and they went back and forth, arguing for probably a good minute. Scott just continued to repeat himself like, "You need to leave my store right now, I do not allow people to wear masks,"' said one witness, AZ Family reports.
Scott Cerkoney, owner of Teeslangers, is said to have contacted the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in November after the altercation
The witness - who wished to remain unidentified - was on his way to dinner when he heard the altercation coming from the back of the store.
'He shoved Scott really hard, like Scott went flying back and that is when Scott pulled his gun out and simply said, "Get out of my store right now," so it was basically a self-defense move,' said the witness.
'Regardless of anyone's opinion of the way Scott runs his store or the kind of products he's selling in his store, I think this is a completely separate issue and he shouldn't be presented as like an antagonizing violent business owner because that's not what he was doing.'
The customer told deputies that the store owner was 'getting in his face' and 'chest-bumping' him, which is why he pushed him away.
The altercation spawned after Cerkoney asked the unidentified customer to leave because he was wearing a mask, but the customer refused
The witness, however, claimed that he didn't see Cerkoney touch the customer
'He didn't degrade him and he simply kept repeating himself, "You're going to leave. We do not allow people to wear masks in our store,"' said the witness.
The customer told authorities that he was trying to leave when Cerkoney pulled out the gun. He also told MCSO that they should look into the owner's social media, where he constantly is 'ranting about liberals.'
He also told them that he would be willing to aid in prosecution if they determined that a crime had actually been committed.
'It's not even like he knew he was protecting himself.' the customer added. 'He was straight-up excited to pull his gun up out of his waistband and antagonize me as I was trying to leave.'
Cerkoney showed deputies a video claiming to show mask's effectiveness as to why he has the no mask policy. He also told deputies that he had seen health care workers who were improperly wearing the masks, also voicing his disdain for 'Zooming kindergarten.' A sign outside his store
Cerkoney showed deputies a video claiming to show mask's effectiveness as to why he has the no mask policy. He also told deputies that he had seen health care workers who were improperly wearing the masks, also voicing his disdain for 'Zooming kindergarten.'
The owner also claimed that looting and civil unrest forced him to take action to protect his business, adding that masks didn't allow him to see who was good and bad.
'I also, to be honest with you, think it's a little extreme. I think Scott's a little extreme,' said a different witness. 'His approach to people that come in with masks on is pretty harsh so it's probably a little provoking, but that's not to excuse the gentleman's behavior that shoved him because that's instigating violence.'
MCSO has informed the Maricopa County Public Health and the Arizona Department of Health Services regarding the no mask policy.
The incident is still under investigation.