- Six girls aged 14 to 17 chased a woman into a Pittsburgh Sephora store and violently attacked her.
- The teens punched, kicked, and hit her with a metal sign while others blocked the door so she couldn’t leave.
- The woman was taken to the hospital with heavy bleeding from her head.
- The attack caused an estimated $30,000 in damage inside the store.
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — A woman trying to get away from a group of girls ended up trapped inside a Sephora store while they beat her — and blocked the exit so she had nowhere to run.
It happened on Tuesday evening at the Sephora on Shady Avenue in the East Liberty neighborhood. Officers were called just before 6 p.m. after reports of a fight inside the store.
When first responders arrived, they found the woman outside the store bleeding heavily from her head.
It Started at a Bus Stop
The victim told police she had briefly exchanged words with a group of six girls while walking past a bus stop.
That was enough to set them off.
The girls began following her and taunting her through the street. Trying to get away, the woman ducked into a nearby business to take cover in a bathroom.
It did not work. The group followed her — and then into Sephora.
Inside the Store, It Turned Violent
Once inside, the situation escalated fast.
Police said the girls screamed at the woman, hurled glass bottles and products at her, and then physically attacked her — punching and kicking her and striking her with a metal sign.
While some girls carried out the beating, others moved to block the store’s door so the woman could not escape.
She was trapped inside with no way out.
The woman only managed to get out of the store as police pulled up outside. She was rushed to the hospital for treatment. Authorities have not released an update on her condition.
$30,000 in Damage Left Behind
The violence did not just hurt the victim — it tore through the store.
Sephora’s loss prevention officer told police the teens caused an estimated $30,000 worth of damage inside the location during the attack.
All Six Charged, Three Gave Fake IDs
After consulting with the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, Pittsburgh Public Safety processed all six girls as juveniles.
The teens — ranging in age from 14 to 17 — were each charged with aggravated assault, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, simple assault, and criminal conspiracy.
Three of the six were also hit with an additional charge of providing false identification to law enforcement.
A Neighborhood on Edge
East Liberty has seen growing foot traffic in recent years as the neighborhood has developed. Tuesday’s attack happened in broad daylight, just before the dinner hour, in one of the area’s busiest commercial corridors.
The incident has raised fresh concerns among residents and business owners about safety in and around local retail stores.
For a woman who simply walked past the wrong bus stop, the consequences were severe — a hospital visit, a brutal attack, and a terrifying few minutes trapped with no way out.
Have you been following this story or do you live near the East Liberty area? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
