PITTSBURGH — A fight at a gas station on Pittsburgh's North Side was recorded on video and went viral on social media.
Police said multiple people are now facing criminal charges, and the video has led to three straight days of protests.
Scott Hill, Balkar Singh, and Sukhjinder Sadhra all face charges now in connection with the fight. All three men face charges of simple assault, according to the district attorney's office.
On Monday, protesters gathered outside the Exxon gas station at the corner of Brighton Road and Marshall Avenue, where the incident took place.
RIGHT NOW: Day 3 of protests underway outside of the Exxon gas station on the corner of Marshal Ave & Brighton Rd. This is the same spot where police say 2 women were assaulted by the gas station owners & worker over spilled gas. @WPXI pic.twitter.com/U320eNFeUP
— Mike Holden (@WPXIMikeHolden) September 23, 2019
Police said they were called about 6:45 p.m. Friday to the gas station on Brighton Road for a report of a fight between the male gas station owners and two female customers.
During their investigation, police said an argument over spilled gas led to the fight. The women said a pump malfunctioned and demanded a refund. The owners refused, and the argument quickly turned physical.
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One video recorded by a witness showed the men who own the gas station repeatedly hitting one of the women in the back of the head while another man grabbed the other woman by her hair and dragged her across the pavement, police said.
The gas station's security cameras inside the store show the women initiating the argument.
Police said investigators filed paperwork for assault charges against the gas station owners and employees to the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office.
FROM PITTSBURGH POLICE: The owners of this Exxon gas station and an employee in Marshall-Shadeland are facing criminal charges for a violent assault on 2 female customers. It was caught on video & went viral on social media. Protestors want their 2 Exxons shut down pic.twitter.com/IWx3Xu3JE0
— Lori Houy (@WPXI_Lori) September 21, 2019
Multiple people are facing criminal charges following a violent assault at a North Side gas station that was caught on video and went viral on social media due to its disturbing nature.
— Pittsburgh Police (@PghPolice) September 21, 2019
Full release:https://t.co/xHGciin1ca
Protesters told Channel 11 News Sunday they know the women involved and that they are not the type of people to start fights.
On Saturday, one lane of McKnight Road was partially closed for a time as protesters moved to a second Exxon gas station allegedly owned by the same men facing charges. Traffic was forced into the middle lane due to the crowd.
Protesters want the Exxon gas stations on McKnight and Brighton roads to shut down because of the incident.
There is a protest happening at the @exxonmobil gas station on Marshall Ave and Brighton Road after employees of the store beat up two females. #WPXI @WPXI_Lori pic.twitter.com/zylcwx2hTe
— Gigi (@wpxigigi) September 21, 2019
Dozens are protesting at an Exxon in Marshall- Shadeland, vowing to shut it down after cell phone video on social media shows 4 male workers beating on 2 female customers #wpxi pic.twitter.com/svzwvfXuig
— Lori Houy (@WPXI_Lori) September 21, 2019
A spokesperson for ExxonMobil sent Channel 11 News the following statement:
<span class="wsc-grammar-problem" data-grammar-phrase="" data-grammar-rule="EN_UNPAIRED_BRACKETS" data-wsc-lang="en_US">"</span>ExxonMobil does not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment by any company representative.
<span class="wsc-grammar-problem" data-grammar-phrase="" data-grammar-rule="EN_UNPAIRED_BRACKETS" data-wsc-lang="en_US">"</span>ExxonMobil's global policies promote diversity and inclusion and prohibit any form of discrimination or harassment in any company workplace, anywhere around the world.
<span class="wsc-grammar-problem" data-grammar-phrase="" data-grammar-rule="EN_UNPAIRED_BRACKETS" data-wsc-lang="en_US">"</span>ExxonMobil does not own or operate any retail fuels stations in the United States, but we are aware of the situation and take these matters very seriously.
"Exxon and Mobil stations are supplied by authorized independent branded wholesalers who either operate the stations directly or have a contractual relationship with an independent owner/operator."
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