Man refuses to wear mask in store — then shoots at police with AK-47, PA cops say

A man who was told he had to wear a mask inside a tobacco store stole two cigars — then went outside and shot at the clerk, police in Pennsylvania say.

The incident began Friday when a worker at Cigars International told 35-year-old Adam Zaborowski to put on a mask to comply with the store’s policy, the Bethlehem Township Police Department said on Facebook.

That’s when Zaborowski took two cigars from the shelf and stormed outside without paying, according to police.

When a worker followed him and told him to return the cigars, Zaborowski pulled out a semiautomatic gun and fired it once in the air and twice at the employee, police said. No one was injured.

Zaborowski then got in a vehicle and drove away, police said.

The next day, police were waiting outside Zaborowski’s home to arrest him when he got into his car and left, The Express-Times reported.

Police followed him, and Zaborowski got out of the vehicle and shot at officers with an AK-47 assault weapon, the outlet reported.

A Slatington police officer and highway patrol troopers “returned fire and struck Zaborowski,” according to a statement from the Pennsylvania State Police.

One officer and Zaborowski were injured, police said.

Zaborowski’s attorney, John Waldron, said his client lost his job during the coronavirus pandemic and also lost custody of his child, according to The Express-Times.

“It’s kill or be killed. So the fact that he got shot twice with non-life-threatening injures when he had an AK-47 and another handgun, Adam is very fortunate he ended up the way he did,” Waldron said, the outlet reported.

When asked if Zaborowski was “lucky,” Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin reportedly told the newspaper: “He opened fire on the police officers. He opened fire with an AK-47 and an automatic pistol. Do you think he’s lucky?”

Zaborowski was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, robbery, persons prohibited to possess a firearm and reckless endangerment, according to an arrest warrant.

This story was originally published August 3, 2020 at 11:48 AM with the headline "Man refuses to wear mask in store — then shoots at police with AK-47, PA cops say."