Police: Woman Steals Boots, Pepper Sprays 30, Pulls Knife at Mall

A Baltimore woman has been charged with assault and theft after police said she stole boots from a store at Arundel Mills and then discharged pepper spray when confronted. 

Police said as many 30 people were affected by the spray, and one store employee was hospitalized.

According to a police press release, officers responded outside the Off Broadway Shoes store at about 3:30 p.m. following a report of shoplifting and assault. Police learned that the suspect stole boots from the store and then was confronted by the store manager. She fired pepper spray at the store manager, and the spray affected more than two dozen other people in the mall. 

Police said a loss prevention officer approached the woman as she tried to leave the mall, and she threatened the officer with a small knife.

The prevention officer managed to pull the knife away from the woman, but was sprayed with the pepper spray. He then pulled the spray away from the suspect and used it on her, police said. 

Loss prevention and mall security then took the woman into custody. 

Those affected by the pepper spray were treated on the scene, with one store employee taken to Baltimore Washington Medical Center for treatment. The suspect was also taken to BWMC. 

The suspect in the case is identified as Cierra Bianca Scott, 24, of Brookwood Road in Baltimore. She was charged with theft, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and robbery.