Pasadena Liquor Store Clerk Recovering From Beating

A 60-year-old liquor store clerk was recovering Monday after being beaten by two men over the weekend, police said.

The attackers were trying to make a purchase at Showcase Liquor in Pasadena late Saturday night, but the debit card they were using was declined, said the store owner, John Shin.

After several failed attempts, the two men grabbed items off the counter and tried to run out, according to the Pasadena Police Department. The clerk tried to stop them, and that's when he was repeatedly punched in the face.

Paramedics rushed the clerk to the hospital, where he stayed over the weekend. Though he has since been released, the clerk is recovering from injuries including to his eyes, which were swollen shut, the owner said.

Surveillance cameras captured the attack. The video has not been made public.

"It's like elderly abuse," Shin said. "The man is 60 years old. He was hitting him like he was a punching bag, it was terrifying to watch."

Police were searching for the attackers, described only as men with average builds and in their 20s.