Police: Man in mask dispute showed gun

A man shopping at LastStop clothing store at Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover displayed a handgun handle to an employee when asked to adjust his face mask and later pushed another employee to the ground when asked again to fix his mask, Anne Arundel County police said.

Officers responded to the store around 4: 20 p. m. Monday for a reported assault. Two women employees told police the manwas asked to cover his mouth and nose with his mask. He lifted his shirt and displayed the handle of a black handgun in response, they told police.

The man stayed in the store without fixing his mask and was asked again by another employee to properly cover his nose and mouth. The man then pushed the second employee to the ground and left, according to police.

On New Year’s Day at H& M, a customer recorded the moments after a store employee asked a woman to wear her mask, according to WBAL- TV News. The customer recording to incident then got into a verbal altercation with the woman, who asked where “there is a lawthat states I need to wear my mask” and became upset she was being filmed, the TV station reports.

Anne Arundel County police said they did not receive a report about the incident at H& M.

A 26- year- old Bowie woman, Ibukunoluwa Opanuga, and 35- yearold Musaab Abdul Ali, of Washington, were arrested on multiple assault charges in November after police said they beat two ice cream shop employees after a mask dispute.

Opanuga and Ali were told to wear a mask by employees at a Cold Stone Creamery in Edgewater. Police said the dispute escalated and one of the employees was punched while the other was punched and kicked when they fell to the floor.

Josh Ortega, an attorney for Opanuga, said she is innocent and the charges against her stem from false statements. Opanuga and Ali were released after posting bail.

“I believe that, once Ms. Opanuga has had her opportunity to tell her side of the story, she will be exonerated of these allegations,” Ortega said in an email.

After Monday’s assault at Last Stop, officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect in the Monday incident. Western District detectives are investigating and ask anyone with information to call 410- 222- 2400 or the Tip Line at 410- 222- 4700.