Woman allegedly beats neighbor for not wearing mask in elevator, arrested

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A 71-year-old woman was arrested after allegedly striking a neighbor who refused to wear a face mask inside an elevator in Florida, United States.

The man (name withheld) was returning to his unit after collecting mail from their building’s lobby on Sept. 21. Suzanne Miller then told him that she felt uncomfortable riding an elevator with someone who had no mask on, as per The Smoking Gun the day after.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have advised people across the globe to wear face masks when leaving their homes to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

When he declined to wear one, Miller “became upset and started getting loud.” According to the report, she then began to shout and claim that the man was “assaulting” her.

Despite her actions, the man remained in the elevator and pressed the button to his floor. Miller then tried to push him out of the elevator and “started intentionally striking” his shoulder with her closed fist.

A female witness later told officers that she saw the elderly woman “striking the victim multiple times on the arm and chest area with an open hand.” Security footage from the elevator supported the accounts of the victim, witness and police.

Following the incident, police arrested her and booked her into jail on a misdemeanor count. Authorities released Miller the night after, as per report. Miller is set to appear in court on Oct. 21 for a hearing regarding the incident. Ryan Arcadio/JB

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