Retraction Notice
In a recent article about an incident at Goodwill, Vermilion Daily mistakenly published a photograph of the wrong individual. The photo was incorrectly attributed due to a name similarity. The image has since been removed and corrected.
We regret the error and want to make clear that the individual shown in the original photo had no connection to the incident.
Elyria police arrested a 21-year-old man Monday afternoon after a violent outburst at Goodwill Industries on Abbe Road North.
The suspect, Anthony Alexander Ball of Lorain, was taken into custody after officers were dispatched around 2:12 p.m. Sept. 15. When police arrived, several people were holding Ball on the ground. Both he and the floor were covered in blood.
Witnesses told police that Ball became upset while shopping with his mother and began shouting racial slurs at employees, including “black bitch” and “black whore.” He also threatened to kill others inside the store.
During the confrontation, Ball allegedly struck a woman in the forehead with a set of double shot glasses, shattering them and causing a deep cut that bled heavily. A nurse who was shopping provided immediate aid until paramedics arrived. Another woman suffered a finger injury, possibly from being bitten by Ball, and an officer cut his hand on broken glass during the struggle.
Bystanders held Ball until officers arrived. He was handcuffed and taken to the Lorain County Jail. Police reported that Ball himself showed no visible injuries.
Ball was charged with felonious assault, criminal damaging, and disorderly conduct. He remains in jail awaiting his first appearance in Elyria Municipal Court.