SEATTLE – A disabled Marine veteran was attacked after a confrontation with two men at a grocery store who were not wearing masks.
Daniel Troublefield, 43, was at the Ocean Shores IGA Sunday night when he made a comment to another shopper for not wearing a mask, KIRO-TV reported. It’s something he had never done before, but he felt compelled to because he and his wife have preexisting conditions.
He had a tense interaction with two men inside the store, but Troublefield thought that’s where it ended. As he left the store and walked to his car, the two men yelled and berated him in from a distance.
“To my regret I walked up to the car. I was trying to explain it is science and you should be wearing a mask because you’re endangering me and everyone else in the store by not having a mask on,” Troublefield said. “The gentleman tapped on my chest. And I flipped up his hat, and that’s when they both got out of the car.”
The men beat Troublefield for nearly 20 seconds, KIRO reported. Troublefield, a disabled Marine veteran, said he never threw a punch. He suffered bruises to his face and body. His nose was fractured and he had to get stitches.
“I curled up in the fetal position and I was just ready to die,” Troublefield said.
Ocean Shores police said they are investigating the incident. They are unsure if it was an assault or self-defense, KIRO reported.
“I’d like to see the two gentleman locked up in jail. I’d like for them to pay for what they did,” Troublefield said. “I don’t think any human being deserves to be treated like I was treated.”
Troublefield said it was the first and last time he will confront someone about not wearing a mask.
