A lawsuit has been filed against Whole Foods by a woman who was brutally attacked with a glass bottle while shopping at their Midtown store. Cassidy Arkin, a 49-year-old producer and director from Harlem, claims that the supermarket failed to ensure the safety of its customers. The incident occurred in October when Arkin was blindsided by a rampaging maniac, identified as Michael Howell, according to authorities.
Howell, 33, allegedly assaulted a 24-year-old man outside the store with a glass bottle before entering the shop. He then obtained another bottle and viciously struck Arkin in front of a food counter. After the assault, Howell fled into a nearby subway, where he proceeded to board a train to Rockefeller Center. There, he targeted a 55-year-old passenger with yet another bottle, as reported by authorities.
Arkin suffered severe injuries, including a severed earlobe and staples in her scalp. She was left with shards of glass embedded in her body. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Wednesday, accuses Whole Foods of negligence in hiring, supervising, and training employees responsible for customer safety. Arkin, who claims to suffer from permanent physical injuries and mental anguish as a result of the attack, is seeking unspecified damages.
Howell, who has a history of eight prior offenses, is currently incarcerated on Rikers Island facing assault charges. The criminal case against him is pending. Arkin and her lawyer have chosen not to comment on the matter, while Whole Foods has not responded to requests for comment.
