By Yuliya Talmazan and Joe Studley -
NBC News
Nearly 100 people ransacked a Nordstrom store in Walnut Creek, California, in
an assault that lasted only one minute
and for which at least three individuals were arrested, authorities said.
About 80 people entered the store on the city's Broadway Plaza, a Police Department spokesperson told NBC News, the sister network of Noticias Telemundo.
One employee was
pepper sprayed
and two others were
punched and kicked
.
All three suffered minor injuries but were treated and released from the scene, he added.
The theft lasted exactly one minute, the time the suspects entered and left the premises, which were open at the time, the spokesman said, adding that they took an undetermined amount of merchandise.
Jodi Hernández, a reporter for the NBC affiliate in the Bay Area, was near the store when the assault occurred and reported on her Twitter account that
about 25 cars blocked the street during the incident
.
The occupants of these vehicles entered the store and then rushed back into them to flee at full speed with the stolen merchandise, he explained.
[A couple who stole millions of dollars runs away and leaves a goodbye note to their children: "Someday we will get back together"]
The journalist said that most of the looters allegedly escaped.
A security camera captured police officers
detaining and handcuffing several of the alleged looters
.
The footage also shows an officer pointing a gun at one of the drivers.
So far three people have been arrested in connection with the incident, according to police.
Two of them were immediately arrested for robbery, conspiracy, theft and possession of stolen property.
One of them had a firearm and is facing a weapons charge, police added.
A third person was found shortly after the incident and is also facing charges.
NBC News has contacted Nordstrom for their version of the incident and is still awaiting a response.
Brett Barrett, who works at a nearby restaurant, told NBC Bay Area that he saw between 50 and 80 people wearing ski masks
carrying iron bars
during the incident.
"I had to start closing the front door, the back door," he said.
"You never know, they could have gotten in here," he acknowledged.
Walnut Creek Police also confirmed that the incident is not related to protests across the country over the not guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.