'I was doing my duty': Walmart greeter punched in face by irate customer, police say

A 72-year-old Walmart greeter in Texas said he was only doing his job when he was allegedly punched in the face by a customer Friday night.

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Mohinder Singh Randhawa was checking the receipt of Craig Valentine, 42, of Hockley, at a Walmart in Cypress when he noticed a case of Gatorade had not been paid for, KTRK reported.

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"I told him if you want, you can scan and take it," Randhawa told the television station. "I never told him he was stealing."

According to investigators who watched surveillance video, Valentine became angry and yelled at Randhawa. According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Harris County District Court, Valentine "chest bumped" Randhawa before punching him.

"He punched on my face with a closed right hand," Randhawa, who has worked at Walmart for 15 years told KTRK. "I fell down on the ground."

According to the probable cause affidavit, Valentine called Walmart management Monday to apologize and admitted to a Harris County investigator he punched Randhawa.

Valentine was arrested Tuesday and charged with injury to an elderly person, according to Harris County court records. He posted $1,000 bail later in the day and is expected to appear in court Wednesday, according to court records.

Randhawa, meanwhile, said he was shaken up by the incident.

"Yes, I'm scared to work that position because it never happened to me," Randhawa told KTRK.. "I was doing my duty. I was doing what I was supposed to do."

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