THIS is the shocking moment a group of teenagers appear to attack shop staff in a violent brawl after allegedly being caught shoplifting.
The chaotic incident took place at a convenience store on Baldwin Street in Bristol yesterday evening.
According to police, the conflict began earlier in the evening when the group were reportedly caught stealing from the shop and acting aggressively towards the staff.
They fled the scene after police were called, but the gang returned at around 8pm, triggering a frantic second confrontation as staff tried to keep them from entering.
Video footage shows shop workers battling to keep the tracksuit-clad teens outside the shop.
The youths can be seen repeatedly punching the staff in the doorway of the shop with one boy appearing to spit at them.
Amid the chaos, a girl’s voice can be heard crying out “he kicked my tummy”.
Moments later, a staff member turns his back to shield the entrance, only for the teens to grab him from behind and yank on his clothes.
Another worker, dressed in a cream jumper, lunges towards a boy in a white t-shirt before a colleague grabs him to break up the violence.
One of the yobs shouts: “Why you punching little kids?”
Then a boy in a black tracksuit spits at the staff again as they start retreating inside.
The violence then flares up again when one of the youths hurls a bottle of a liquid at the shop sign above, spraying its contents over the rest of the gang and the staff.
One of the yobs then throws a bottle of liquid at the shop sign, spraying everyone with its contents, causing more violence to occur.
Four teens start swarming a worker, raining down punches and furiously kicking him in the legs.
The teen recording the violence starts laughing and repeatedly exclaims “What the f***?”
DUring the tussle, one teen accidently falls backwards onto the pavemetn, knocking down a lottery sign.
Another gang member grabs the sign and begins using it to ram into the shop’s glass door while the other kid kicks it.
They shout “Are you f***ing mad? Open the door or I’ll smash it in.”
The shop keeper quickly steps out, spooking the kid with the sign who drops it and runs away.
The other teen stays standing in the door way, and is heard saying “I’m just standing here” before being kicked by a shop worker.
Eventually, one of the shop staff appears to reason with the boys and persuading them to clear off.
In a statement about the incident, Avon and Somerset Police said: “We are aware of social media videos that have been published relating to incidents at a convivence store in Bristol yesterday evening.
“Police were called to Baldwin Street about 6pm after reports of suspected shoplifting and a group of teenagers acting aggressively towards shop staff.
“Officers attended at about 6.10pm and the youths had left the scene.
“We were called to Baldwin Street shortly before 8pm with staff saying the group were trying to re-enter the store.
“The teenagers fled the area prior to officers arriving at about 8.10pm and they could not be located.
“An officer has since spoken to staff and provided reassurance that an investigation will be undertaken to try to identify those involved.
“Enquiries, including reviewing footage of the incidents, are ongoing.
Anyone with information that could help the police’s enquiries have been asked to contact them either online or by calling 101, quoting reference number 5226215030.
