ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) —
A 34-year-old man has been arrested and accused of using an American flag as a weapon to attack a store employee who confronted him about attempting to steal a beverage, Asheville Police said on Tuesday.
According to a release from the Asheville Police Department, the incident was reported around 1:58 p.m. on May 5 at a grocery store on Tunnel Road in Asheville.
“The employee of the business confronted an individual who was attempting to steal a beverage,” the release states. “As staff escorted the individual out of the store, he grabbed an American flag set and struck the employee in the head, causing minor injuries, before fleeing the scene.”
Police were called and officers soon located a suspect at a nearby fast food restaurant.
According to the release, Caleb Cameron McRae, 34, was arrested and charged with: assault with a deadly weapon; 2nd degree trespassing; resist, delay or obstruct; and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was booked into Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $2,000 (or $200 to a bondsman) secured bond issued by the magistrate.