Mall Security Pepper Sprayed While Trying to Detain Suspected Shoplifter

A 26-year-old Milwaukee woman faces state charges after police say she sprayed mall security with pepper spray as she attempted to flee a Southridge mall store with a bag of stolen items.

Bythia Davis was charged May 15 in Milwaukee County Circuit Court with one misdemeanor count of retail theft and one felony count of use of Oleoresin Capsicum spray, also known as pepper spray, in commission of a crime. If convicted, Davis could face up to six years and nine months imprisonment, $20,000 in fines, or both.

According to the criminal complaint:

On May 11 at 1:54 p.m., Greendale police received a report of a retail theft at Sears in Southridge Mall, 5300 N. 76th St. 

A security officer with the department store told police he observed Davis putting merchandise into a bag and leaving the store without paying, according to court documents. 

Another security officer stopped Davis near the store entrance/exit, where she pushed him, and said he would have to call police. She then ran toward the mall's food court. The officer followed, trying to grab the bag of merchandise, when Davis pulled out the canister of pepper spray from her purse, aimed at the officer’s face and sprayed for 7 to 8 seconds. The spray hit the officer in the side and back of the head. The officer grabbed Davis and she sprayed the canister a second time.

Security was eventually able to detain Davis, and recover the canister of pepper spray.

Police say several other employees working and eating in the food court sustained and were treated for minor injuries from the pepper spray, including a woman 4 months pregnant.

Davis was under probation and extended supervision at the time of the incident.

She is due in court June 12 for a scheduling conference. She is being held in the Milwaukee County Jail.