Police Hope Public Can Help Them Identify Man Who Severely Beat Gas Clerk

SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA)  --   Employees of a 76 gas station in San Bernardino say a man pulled in early Tuesday morning hoping to buy $10 to $20 worth of gas using his EBT card.

When told he couldn't use the card, employees said the man lost control.

The incident was caught on security video.

KCAL9's Tina Patel says authorities are hoping to catch the suspect who got violent.

The suspect can be seen pulling the clerk's hair, knocking him to the ground and punching him repeatedly.

All because he was told he couldn't use an EBT card? Manny Singh, the gas station's owner, told Patel they couldn't even if they wanted to.

"We can't do that, so my employee refused him and explained it's not possible, I'm sorry," Singh said.

Singh said the suspect went outside and started asking other customers for gas money, but no one would help him. So he went to the clerk again and asked him for $10.

"My employee said I don't have money, I'm not authorized to help you from the register. So, he just got upset and all of a sudden, he started throwing stuff from the counter," Singh said.

The suspect pushed over a rack of wine bottles and then went behind the counter ad overpowered the clerk who had grabbed a bat by this time to try to protect himself.

"He starts saying to my employee 'Go back to your country, why you come here?' and beat him so bad," Singh said.

The suspect hit the employee in the head with a wine bottle and wrestled the bat out of his hands chasing him out the store.

Singh hopes someone recognizes the suspect or the white sedan he left in. He says the video clearly shows how dangerous the suspect is.

"It looks like it's attempt to murder, because he could have got killed. because the way he was attacking. Luckily, and thank God, he got saved," Singh said.

The clerk suffered serious injuries but is expected to be okay. Whether he will be able to return to work after suffering this level of trauma remains to be seen.

If you have any information about the suspect or his vehicle, you're asked to call San Bernardino Police.