Inset: Rejean Tabor allegedly attacking shoppers inside of a California Target (KCBS/YouTube). Background: The Target where Rejean Tabor’s alleged rampage took place (Google Maps).
A California man walked into a Target and randomly picked out a woman to attack by the checkout counter — choking her until “she was almost dead” — before going after other shoppers in a violent evening rampage, cops and witnesses say.
Rejean Tabor had just gotten out of jail less than 48 hours before heading to the Simi Valley Target on June 17 to unleash an attack on a “female customer who was standing at a checkout counter,” according to the Simi Valley Police Department.
“[Tabor] had entered the store and immediately began ‘choking’ [the victim],” according to an SVPD press release. “The store’s Loss Prevention Officer, as well as several bystanders attempted to help the female victim at which point the male subject … began attacking those attempting to assist, which included a juvenile.”
Cellphone video captured inside the Target shows Tabor allegedly attacking and fighting with a number of good Samaritans who tried to stop him, including Andy Garbe, who spoke to local CBS affiliate KCBS about what went down.
“We ran over … and we just see one lady on the guy’s back, and then him just choking out another lady,” Garbe recounted. “He had the most bloodshot, demon eyes I’ve ever seen. He was definitely on something.”
Garbe’s 15-year-old son captured the rampage on video, with one female bystander saying on camera, “He [Tabor] was choking her. She was almost dead.”
Garbe told KCBS, “Imagine someone being behind you, choking you out. And she was even saying she was trying to scream.”
Tabor allegedly entered the Target around 6 p.m. and set upon the choking victim. He then wandered over to the produce section and attacked a 16-year-old boy, according to witnesses and cops.
“[The teen] had his back turned to him … and had no idea,” Garbe said.
As the violent assaults were occurring, Target employees began an emergency evacuation of the store before police arrived at the scene. “Officers immediately entered the store and located Tabor, who had now begun throwing items in the grocery section, where he was taken into custody without incident,” the SVPD release says.
Several customers, including the 16-year-old, sustained minor injuries and were treated and released at the scene. The woman who Tabor allegedly choked was transported by family to a local hospital where she is currently in stable condition.
“It was later discovered that the initial female victim did not know Tabor,” the SVPD release says. Police arrested and booked Tabor at Ventura County Main Jail on charges of attempted murder, burglary, assault, battery and cruelty or unjustifiable pain to a minor.
“Several people, including [police], said that the original victim could have died from being choked out if we didn’t show up there in time,” Garbe’s son said.
According to KCBS, Tabor had been released from custody less than two days before, after being arrested in March for indecent exposure and assaulting an officer. He is currently on probation for that arrest.
