A San Francisco Walgreens worker allegedly stabbed a shoplifter in the eye amid a physical altercation early Wednesday morning.

The employee — identified by San Francisco police as 45-year-old Guang Hong — was booked into San Francisco County Jail for assault with a deadly weapon, KTVU-TV reported. Hong remained behind bars with no bond Thursday afternoon.

'That employee should get a commendation and a raise!'

Larry Whitlock, 30, was cited for battery and petty theft and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the station said.

Police told KTVU Whitlock left the Walgreens at 498 Castro Way around 4:15 a.m. without paying for merchandise.

Surveillance video from across the street shows an employee and a security guard follow Whitlock outside, and Hong and Whitlock begin arguing before trading punches, the station said.

Hong then returns to the store, and Whitlock wanders around the street, KTVU said. Minutes later, Hong walks back outside and again argues with Whitlock, the station noted.

Once more Hong returns to the store, and KTVU said he then moves quickly up the street toward Whitlock.

Video shows Hong and Whitlock square off again in the street. Hong dodges a punch from Whitlock, KTVU said, adding that Hong swings at Whitlock.

With that, Whitlock falls to the street holding his face, the station said, adding that Hong kicks out at Whitlock and walks back inside the store.

Police told KTVU that officers patrolling the area were "flagged down regarding a stabbing" around 4:35 a.m.

You can view a video report here about the incident; it includes surveillance video of the physical altercation.

If found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon, Hong faces up to four years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both, the station said, adding that Whitlock's battery and petty theft charges each carry a penalty of up to six months in county jail as well as fines of up to $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.

How are people reacting?

A number of commenters underneath KTVU's story, which Yahoo News republished, praised the employee:

• "That employee should get a commendation and a raise!" one commenter wrote.
• "THANK YOU to the Walgreens employee who took action against a thief," another user said.
• "Good," another commenter opined. "Shoplifter deserved it."
• "Hong should get a gold medal from the president for upholding the law," another user said. "Something the city and its [police] failed to do. Bravo Hong. You are my HERO."
• "Justice served. Better than courts. We should set up a GoFundMe for him as a reward," another commenter wrote.

Anything else?

Indeed, retail thefts at Walgreens stores — and other businesses — have been a problem in San Francisco for a number of years.

In fact, on Easter Sunday 2024, a group of looters were caught on video taking whatever they pleased from a Walgreens in the city — and no resistance was offered.

What's more, a producer from local TV news station KPIX recorded the mass shoplifting on his cell phone while he was out with his girlfriend, KPIX-TV reported.

"It was just like an ambush, basically," the producer, who didn't want to be named, told the station in regard to the afternoon ransacking inside the store on 9th and Market Streets. "It took me about three seconds to pull my phone out ... and they just had no care at all."

More from KPIX:

Walgreens has closed at least 17 stores in San Francisco since 2019 and is among other large retailers to have closed up stores in the city or announced plans to close since the start of the pandemic. The last one to close was in February 2023 in the city's Financial District. Walgreens said the closure was "due to a significant decrease in foot traffic in the Financial District since the onset of the pandemic."

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