A Santa Monica barber shop owner was arrested Saturday, Oct. 20, for assaulting a former employee who he suspected was posting negative “Yelp” comments about his business.
At 7:44 a.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department went to the 1800 block of Lincoln Boulevard after receiving a report of an assault.
The dispatcher told the officers that the suspect was a former employer of the victim at a barbershop located at 2208 Lincoln Boulevard.
When the officers arrived they spoke with the victim who told them that he used to be a barber at the suspect’s shop, but that he had stopped working there about a week prior after the suspect had accused him of posting disparaging comments on the popular consumer feedback website known as “Yelp.”
The victim added that the day prior to this day’s assault he had been threatened by bodily harm by the suspect, had reported it to the police, but had not gone through with the report because he had wanted to go home instead.
The victim said he had been working at his new barbershop and that the suspect had entered the premises and proceeded to punch the victim in the face, knocking him to the ground.
The suspect then kicked the victim in the stomach and followed that up with some more face punching.
The suspect ceased these assaults and informed the victim that next time he would send someone else to hurt him. After making that announcement the suspect exited the shop.
The officers then went to the suspect’s own barber shop and spoke with the suspect.
The suspect gave the officers a statement whereupon he was placed under arrest and taken off to jail.
This 37-year-old Santa Monica resident was charged with assault and battery and had bail set at $20,000.
