OGDEN, Utah – A Utah convenience store clerk told KSTU she may quit her late shift after a scythe-wielding man walked in early Tuesday morning and threatened to kill her.
The man first entered the Maverik convenience store in Ogden, Utah and threatened an employee. He was kicked out, but two hours later he returned with a weapon.
“I kind of at first just looked at it and thought, ‘What does he have?’ and I thought it was a toy but when I seen the blade on it I thought that is not a toy,” said Malisa Giles.
Surveillance video shows 39-year-old Michael Just holding a nearly 6-foot tall scythe in his right hand, according to police. He allegedly yelled at Giles and said he was going to take her life.
“I automatically just grabbed the phone and ran into the office to call 911,” Giles said.
KSTU obtained the audio from her 911 call:
Giles: “He has a scythe on him. Oh my gosh. He just walked into my store with a scythe and he’s walking out but he has a scythe on him.”
Dispatcher: “What is that?”
Giles: “It’s a long stick with a blade on top of it like what the Grim Reaper carries. Oh my God.”
Dispatcher: “Did he hurt anybody?”
Giles: “No. I hope not.”
Giles, who managed to lock herself in a back room inside the store, immediately thought of her children, she said.
“I was scared for my safety, I was scared for my customers, I was scared for my coworkers too,” she said.
Giles said it felt like forever before the man just finally turned around and left the store, damaging a customer’s car with the scythe on his way out.
“I know he would have done something, he is very mentally unstable,” Giles said.
Giles said she’s happy no one was hurt in the scary encounter.
“I did start crying after he left and after I got off the phone with the cops; I was like, I can’t believe that happened,” Giles said.
This is a weapon police in Ogden say they’ve never seen used.
Cops were able to arrest Just, who faces charges for aggravated assault threats, damaged property, and criminal trespassing.
As for Giles, she says she’s still shaken up and doesn’t know if she’ll be comfortable working the grave shift anymore.
