It started around 8:00 p.m. at the busy Bay Street Mall, when a young girl approached a group of eight teenagers who she believed had stolen her cell phone 30 minutes earlier.
They began pushing and shoving her. This is when the off-duty CHP officer, who witnessed the assault, intervened on her behalf.
Emeryville police say the juveniles began kicking him, punching him, and choking him to the point of rendering him unconscious.
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The off-duty CHP officer regained consciousness and used pepper spray on one of the suspects. Two juveniles, ages 14 and 16, were arrested. Six other suspects are still at large.
Emeryville police are using surveillance video to further their investigation. They are also asking for the public's help in submitting any cell phone video or photos.
The CHP officer drove himself to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.
On-duty police officers at a nearby Apple store also responded to the attack in front of the AMC movie theater and Old Navy and Sephora stores at the shopping center.
Emeryville police say 8 juveniles punched kicked and choked an off duty CHP officer who was intervening in assault of young woman at Bay Street Mall #abc7news pic.twitter.com/OLj64Luycz
— Leslie Brinkley (@lrbrinkley) December 2, 2019
CHP officer Choked unconscious in Emeryville shopping center over Thanksgiving weekend as he tried to help a woman whose cell phone was stolen. 14 & 16 year olds arrested #abc7news pic.twitter.com/vUqPtD3KYM
— Leslie Brinkley (@lrbrinkley) December 2, 2019
