Background: Bodycam footage from the Sunrise Police Department recorded after the alleged incident at a Walmart on Jan. 23 (via WPLG). Inset: Keri Estep (Broward County Jail).
In Florida, a confrontation at a Walmart involving a younger and older woman took an unexpected turn, leading to allegations of battery. Keri Estep, 34, faces charges after allegedly assaulting a 79-year-old woman during a dispute while waiting in line at a Sunrise, Florida Walmart. The incident reportedly occurred on January 23, with Estep accusing the older woman of cutting in line, which led to a verbal clash. According to police reports, the altercation turned physical as Estep is accused of striking the elderly woman in the chest and delivering a kick.
Footage captured by the Sunrise Police Department’s body cameras, later broadcasted by local news outlet WPLG, reveals the older woman’s account of the incident. She claims Estep insulted her with the term “old lady” and justified the attack by saying she “deserved it.” This harrowing exchange adds a troubling layer to the altercation.
A closer examination of the criminal complaint, as reported by Law&Crime, shows that a security guard at the store witnessed the escalation. The guard intervened after noticing the verbal spat was getting heated, with Estep alleging that her shopping cart, which held her baby, was struck by the older woman. However, the elderly woman denied these accusations.
Despite the guard’s attempt to mediate, Estep managed to evade him and allegedly kicked the older woman. The body-camera footage vividly captures the older woman’s testimony, where she describes being kicked in the side. Although she declined medical assistance, she expressed her intention to pursue legal action.
The older woman told the security guard that she never hit Estep’s shopping cart. Police said the guard got between the two women, but Estep was able to get around him and kick the older woman.
In the body-camera footage, the older woman can be heard recounting the details of the alleged physical altercation, telling an officer that Estep “reached out and kicked me in my side.” While the older woman said she did not need medical attention, she said she wanted to press charges.
The older woman stated to the officer that Estep told her, “You cut in front of me.” The woman then said she responded, “No, I didn’t, there’s two lanes.” Estep then allegedly started “beating on” the older woman.
After police identified Estep as the suspect, they interviewed her after reading her rights. Estep told police that she “was concerned for the baby’s safety” and believed the older woman was acting “aggressively” toward her. When police told Estep that surveillance footage taken inside the Walmart reflected the older woman’s version of events, Estep admitted that her account was “inaccurate.”
Estep was charged with battery on a person over the age of 65. She posted $2,500 bail after being booked into the Broward County Jail. Her next court date was not made available.
