Dozens of looters descended on a Nordstrom store and stole merchandise Saturday night in a raid that was over within a minute, police in Walnut Creek, California said.
Approximately 80 people rushed into the store in the city’s Broadway Plaza, a spokesperson for the Walnut Creek Police Department told NBC News.
They said that one employee was pepper sprayed, and two others were punched and kicked. All three sustained minor injuries, and were treated and released at the scene, they added.
The suspects were in and out of the store, which was open at the time, within a minute, the spokesperson said, adding that an undetermined amount of merchandise was taken.
Jodi Hernandez, a reporter with NBC Bay Area, was near the store when the raid took place. She tweeted that about 25 cars blocked the street during the incident.
People in the cars rushed into the store and jumped back into their cars before speeding away with goods, she said.
Hernandez said it appeared that most looters got away. A video she took at the scene showed police officers arresting and handcuffing some of the alleged looters. An officer can also be seen pointing a weapon at one of the drivers.
NBC News has reached out Nordstrom for comment on the incident.
Brett Barrett, who works at a nearby restaurant, told NBC Bay Area he saw 50 to 80 people in ski masks carrying crow bars during the incident.
“I had to start locking the front door, the back door,” he said. “You never know, they could have come right in here.”
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Three people have been arrested in connection with the incident so far, police said. Two were arrested immediately for robbery, conspiracy, burglary and possession of stolen property. One of those two had a firearm and is facing a weapons charge, police added. A third person was found not long after the incident and is also facing charges.
Walnut Creek Police also confirmed that the incident was not linked to a series of protests that have taken place across the country over the non-guilty verdict in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse.
