Pasadena store clerk attacked after man's debit card declined, police say

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- A store clerk in Pasadena was assaulted after a man's debit card was declined, according to police.

Pasadena police said the attacked happened at Showcase Liquor on Lake Avenue Saturday evening.

John Shin, the son of Showcase Liquor's owner and a long-time employee, said two suspects became angry when their debit card was declined.

They kept insisting that the store clerk attempt to swipe the card again, and when he refused, Shin said the suspects tried to walk off with items they wanted to buy.

When the store clerk tried to stop them, Shin said one of the suspects went on the attack. The victim had to be rushed to the hospital after suffering a broken eye socket and nose.

The whole incident was caught on camera.

"It just shows like a young man beating on an elderly man like he's fighting for his life, but the elderly man is struggling just to get away from him," Shin said. "They should pay for what they did. They shouldn't have put an elderly man in the hospital like that. That wasn't right."

Both suspects were described by officials as being in their early 20s, about 5-foot-8-inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds.

One suspect was wearing a white-hooded sweatshirt and the other a baseball hat with white lettering.

If you have any information that could help detectives in their investigation, you're urged to call the Pasadena Police Department at (626) 744-4241.