Man attacked by store employee for not wearing mask

ATLANTA - Kourtland Perry said he's lucky to be alive after a store employee attacked him for not wearing a mask.

"I was in shock. I was embarrassed," Perry told FOX 5's Deidra Dukes. "I lost money over this. I have staples in my head right now."

Perry showed FOX 5 the injuries he said he received during the violent encounter with a worker at this Family Dollar on MLK Drive in southwest Atlanta on Tuesday morning.

Perry told FOX 5 he stopped at the store on his way to work and forgot to put on his mask before entering the business. A male employee confronted Perry for not wearing the face covering.

Perry said, "He referred to the policy at the front. He said, 'You have to have a mask,' and I was trying to explain to him, I said 'Yeah, I'm sorry I kind of forgot it in the midst of me rushing to work. I apologize.'"

Perry said the man followed him to the checkout counter, hurling insults at him as the store manager tried to diffuse the situation. Perry decided he'd had enough.

"In the midst of me leaving, this gentleman reaches into his waistband, grabbed a gun, and hit me in the back of my head with it," said Perry.

Perry called the police. Medics transported the 40-year-old man to the hospital for treatment for a head wound. In the police report obtained by FOX 5, the responding officer states a store surveillance camera recorded the incident. An APD spokesman said the investigation is ongoing.

Perry said the man pushed him out of the store after striking him, got in his car, and drove off.

"I'm very concerned that this is going on because no one knew he had a weapon but him. He could've killed me, he could've killed an employee, he could've killed a child. This is alarming to me that this could happen," Perry said.

Store management referred FOX 5 to their corporate headquarters for comment, but have not received a response.

WATCH: FOX 5 Atlanta live news coverage

_____

Sign up for FOX 5 email alerts

Download the FOX 5 Atlanta app for breaking news and weather alerts.