During a recent visit to the dog park with their 3-month old pup, a California couple encountered some vigilante justice after they entered without wearing masks and unknowingly broke a rule against eating food in the park.
The couple, Ash O'Brien and Jarrett Kelley, spent the remainder of the day in the hospital after an angry woman in the park scolded them about the rules and emptied a can of Mace into Kelley's face, according to statements the couple made to ABC 10 News in San Diego.
O'Brien took a cell phone video of the moments immediate following the incident, which occurred at the Dusty Rhodes Dog Park in Ocean Beach, just outside San Diego.
She told ABC 10 News exactly how quickly things escalated after the couple entered the park.
"[She] automatically started saying stuff about us not wearing a mask. We were social distancing, there was no one near us. Wherever it's required, we wear it."
"If we knew that there was a no-food policy we wouldn't have brought it into the park."
After that initial scolding, the woman left for a few moments.
But she returned even more aggressively.
"She just came up without saying anything and just stuck the Mace can right in front of my face. My husband, being a good guy, walked in front of her and was like 'Hey calm down, please don't do this.' "
"Then she grabbed him and started Macing him. She used the entire can on him."
See the video and interview below.
Man pepper-sprayed at dog parkyoutu.be
Though the woman left the park immediately following the incident, the couple captured her license plate number on video.
They reported her to the authorities.
San Diego Police confirmed that a misdemeanor battery report was taken.
O'Brien went on to share her hopes for the outcome of that investigation.
"I want her to go to jail. She assaulted my husband and I'm angry about it."
Comments to the video drew some angry responses to the woman's pepper-spray antics.
A few people tagged her as a "Karen," internet shorthand used to describe an entitled or overly demanding White woman.
Langley J/Youtube
Tim Smith/Youtube
JT/Youtube
Others dropped some logic on her.
Antarctic Vortex/Youtube
John Smith/Youtube
Moral of the story?
Yes, it's important that we make sure our neighbors are doing their part to social distance and stop the spread of the virus. But that's not so important that we should attack them with chemicals.
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram