In a dramatic legal battle, two individuals have filed a lawsuit against a major retail corporation and its employees, alleging severe misconduct that resulted in physical and emotional harm. On January 2, 2025, Casshis West and Apsara Mary Harter lodged their complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, targeting Target Corporation along with two of its employees for alleged assault and other grievances.
The plaintiffs, residents of San Francisco, claim that on January 18, 2023, they were subjected to an unprovoked attack by Jonathan Asael Kukawka and Doran Brown while shopping at a Target store located at 2675 Geary Blvd., San Francisco. According to the complaint filed by attorney Daniel Moossai from Downtown L.A. Law Group, Kukawka and Brown allegedly followed West and Harter around the store before verbally harassing them. The situation escalated when the defendants reportedly used physical force to escort the plaintiffs out of the premises and subsequently attacked them with pepper spray.
West and Harter's lawsuit details multiple causes of action including assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and negligent hiring, supervision, and retention. They assert that Kukawka and Brown's actions were not only harmful but also carried out with malicious intent. The plaintiffs emphasize that they did not provoke or consent to any such behavior from the defendants.
In their pursuit of justice, West and Harter are seeking general damages for their injuries as well as special damages for medical expenses incurred due to the incident. Furthermore, they are asking for punitive damages under California Civil Code § 3294 to penalize the defendants' conduct and deter similar future acts. The complaint also holds Target Corporation accountable for failing to properly hire or supervise its employees who were involved in this alleged misconduct.
The legal representation for West and Harter is led by Daniel Moossai from Downtown L.A. Law Group. The case has been assigned Case No.: CGC-25-621112 in the Superior Court of California in San Francisco County.