Man accused of attacking QT employee, customers after trying to steal phone

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A man possibly high on drugs became violent at a Cobb County gas station and attacked a worker and customers. He also tried to rob a woman, police said.

The attack happened Monday afternoon at one of the busiest QuikTrip stores in metro Atlanta -- the store on North Marietta Parkway and Fairground Road.

The frenzy forced the QuikTrip to close for several hours.

"He was crazy. I think he was on drugs or something," witness Grecia Gonzales, who works at the store, said.

She told Channel 2's Tom Regan that a man snatched a woman's phone and purse and then attacked customers and an employee who tried to intervene.

“He hit one of (the) partners,” Gonzales told Regan.

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Marietta police arrived at the scene within minutes and were able to track down the attacker, who had run to a shopping center parking lot nearby.

Gonzales told Regan that her bloodied co-worker needed immediate medical care.

“He needed stitches right here and inside here,” Gonzales said, pointing to her mouth and then her forehead.

Police kept the store closed as they investigated the attack.

Gonzales said she and the other customers were completely caught off guard by the incident.

“We were just trying to get some lunch and he started hitting people from nowhere,” Gonzales said.

A representative with QuikTrip told Regan the store is cooperating with police to help in their investigation.

The man who was arrested was taken to a nearby hospital to be evaluated.

Cox Media Group