Caught On Tape: H&M Hardware Employee Assaults Customer - MPD Refuses To File Report

This was sent to me by a Ward 8 resident and fellow blogger about an incident that happened yesterday when they tried to return a defective item at H&M Hardware in Congress Heights. I am struck speechless. There really are no words or justification for what happened here. There are two sides to every story but I can not imagine any situation where anyone (let alone a store merchant or their employee) would pick up a bat to settle a return dispute. This is not customer service and this is not how rational people do things. In my opinion this is criminal.  I would also like to know from MPD why they chose to not take a report, let alone arrest the man on the video swinging the bat.  I have patronized H&M Hardware in the past, they are located in The Shops at Park Village on Alabama Avenue SE near the Giant but I can't see myself giving them anymore of my business. This is unacceptable behavior. If there was a problem the police should have been called.  Short of a robbery  there should be no reason for employees to be threatening anyone with bodily harm let alone picking up weapons. I will be contacting William C. Smith,  the property management company for The Shops at Park Village to look into this. I know they would not tolerate this type of behavior, they want customers to have an enjoyable and safe experience at the shopping center.

H&M Hardware
1553 Alabama Ave SE
Washington, DC 20032
(202) 610-1771





Email from the victim:

Today an employee at a SE DC hardware store refused to refund my money after my returning the 2nd time in a row with a defective key.   

Then when I said I would video him saying this to post on YouTube, he came charging at me first swiping my phone, then coming after me with a bat.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExgR51wPRiQ
When I called the police, he took off in his own vehicle.  10 minutes later he returned and came charging at me when I was innocently standing on the sidewalk waiting for the police. He said don't videotape me, but I wasn't. I only starting videotaping him after he threatened me then came charging at me again. He hit me for the second time. 

The owner of the store refused to apologize. I felt he was disingenuous in not providing refunds for a faulty product (twice) 

What was more amazing, the Police Department refused to arrest this individual.
Is 7D doing their job, or are they refusing to do what we are paying them to -- protect the people?
Are they allowing violent people to continue roaming the streets and hurting other people?

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