A 19-year-old Reading man is facing a stack of criminal charges after police say he forced his way behind a CVS pharmacy counter, shoved an employee and fought with officers. Police deployed a Taser twice, and Blackmon was taken into custody. The confrontation unfolded Sunday afternoon at the CVS Pharmacy at 650 Main Street, leaving both a store worker and a responding officer with injuries.
Reading Police officers were sent to the pharmacy at 4:58 p.m. on October 11 after a report of a robbery in progress. Kai Blackmon, identified by Boston 25 News as a 19-year-old Reading resident, allegedly tried to flee from officers once they arrived, according to the police account relayed by that outlet.
Investigators say Blackmon forced his way into the restricted employee area behind the pharmacy counter, shoved a staff member and made off with two boxes of medication, causing a minor hand injury to the worker, who declined medical treatment. The physical struggle that followed left shelving and merchandise damaged, per the same police account.
Two Taser Deployments Needed to Subdue Suspect
Officers reportedly gave Blackmon repeated verbal commands and warnings before deploying a Taser twice, the report states. One responding officer suffered a minor injury during the fight and was evaluated and released from a local hospital.
The CVS location has a history of drawing police attention for more routine matters. Reading Police Department press logs show the Main Street store regularly generates calls for commercial security alarms, trespass enforcement, customer transaction disputes and minor traffic crashes, though Sunday's incident marked a far more serious escalation than the pharmacy's typical police activity.
Charges Filed
Blackmon now faces charges of breaking into a depository, shoplifting by asportation, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and destruction of property valued under $1,200, according to Boston 25 News.
The shoplifting count relies on the legal concept of asportation. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 266, Section 30A, simply taking and moving merchandise with intent to steal establishes criminal liability even if a suspect never makes it out of the store, according to legal summaries on Mass.gov.
The assault and battery on a police officer charge carries the most serious statutory exposure. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 265, Section 13D, a conviction carries a mandatory minimum of 90 days in a house of correction, with potential sentences up to 2.5 years or fines between $500 and $5,000.
Case Heads to Woburn District Court
Blackmon was arraigned Tuesday in Woburn District Court.
Boston 25 News described the story as developing and said updates may follow. It remains unclear what type of medication was taken, and no further details on bail conditions or the injured officer's identity have been released.
