Delmar Gas Mart Closed For A Week After Assault, Protests

ST. LOUIS, MO — A north St. Louis Gas Mart is closed for a week after a manager and worker there were caught on video kicking a woman in front of the convenience store's entrance.

Jehad Motan, 32, and Ahmed Qandeel, 19, were charged with misdemeanor assault on Thursday. The store's owners said the two have been fired.

The video, posted to Facebook Tuesday, shows 37-year-old Kelli Adams yelling at Qandeel, using racial slurs and other obscene language. Motan, the store's manager, then comes out and demands that Adams leave. She seems to be complying when Motan kicks her to the ground.

Adams then gets up and refuses to leave. The men return to the store and tell her they are calling police. Qandeel then comes back out and approaches her. Both exchange derogatory remarks, and the worker kicks Adams again.

Watch the video below. Warning: it contains objectionable language, racial slurs and violence.

It's not clear what started the altercation. Witnesses say Adams often frequents the store and that she may be homeless.

Protesters gathered outside the gas station later the same day, promising to shut it down. As many as 100 people blocked the store's entrance, chanting and using cars to also block access to the gas pumps.

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"If we wouldn't have come here, the police wouldn't have shown up," said Rev. Darryl Gray, who helped organize the protest. He said police didn't show up until protesters began blocking the entrance to the store, adding: "The police are here to protect and serve, but it is pretty clear who they choose to protect."

The owners of the gas station have apologized, both in person and in a written statement.

“On behalf of the entire Gas Mart family, we want to extend our sincerest apologies for the negative experience that has occurred at our location 5745 Delmar Blvd,” they said. “Gas Mart does NOT condone this kind of behavior nor is it tolerated. We will take all the appropriate measures needed to assure an incident like this does not happen again. Encounters of violence will not be tolerated in ANY capacity at any of our locations.”

But protests continued, occasionally turning violent. The store's front glass was shattered by demonstrators, who also tried to set a vehicle on fire, and a security guard turned his pepper spray on the crowd. That guard, identified as Anthony Edwards, has also been charged with assault.

Once it became clear the protests were not dying down, the owners agreed to meet with community members behind closed doors. The decision to close the store likely arose from those discussions. Gas Mart will also provide sensitivity training to all of its employees, a representative said, promising they are "committed to working with the community."