A California man accused of strangling a woman in a Target store had been released from custody less than a day earlier — as he is now charged with attempted murder.
Prosecutors announced Monday 34-year-old Rejean Morgan Tabor of Simi Valley has been charged with willful, deliberate and premeditated attempted murder in connection with the June 17 attack in Simi Valley.
The felony count escalates the case after authorities initially arrested Tabor on suspicion of attempted murder following the chaotic rampage, which left several shoppers injured as they rushed to save the victim.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Tabor allegedly entered the store and approached a female shopper from behind before wrapping his hands around her neck while covering her nose and mouth.
As horrified customers rushed to intervene, Tabor allegedly turned his fury on the Good Samaritans trying to stop him.
Prosecutors say one woman was shoved to the ground while trying to pull him off the victim, while another shopper was allegedly bitten, punched and scratched during the struggle.
After the woman managed to break free, Tabor allegedly hurled a glass bottle at a Target loss prevention employee before attacking a 16-year-old customer from behind, authorities said.
Responding officers eventually found him inside the store and took him into custody.
Video from the scene, which quickly spread across social media, showed chaotic scenes in the clothing section as shoppers wrestled Tabor to the ground. At least two women appeared to be knocked over during the melee while a young girl stood alarmingly close to the struggle.
The victim, who police said did not know Tabor, was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition.
Along with the attempted murder count, Tabor faces two misdemeanor battery charges, one misdemeanor assault charge and one misdemeanor count of child abuse for allegedly injuring a minor during the incident.
But perhaps the most startling revelation came from prosecutors Monday: the alleged Target rampage occurred less than 24 hours after Tabor was released from custody on mandatory supervision following the completion of sentences in two separate Ventura County criminal cases.
The nature of those prior cases was not immediately disclosed.
Tabor made his first court appearance Monday, but did not enter a plea after his attorney declared a doubt about his competency to stand trial.
Criminal proceedings were suspended pending a competency evaluation.
He remains behind bars at the Ventura County jail with bail set at $750,000. A competency hearing is scheduled for July 16.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced the charges Monday, with Deputy District Attorney Sean Brunton of the office’s General Trials Unit prosecuting the case.
The revelation that Tabor had been released just hours before the attack is likely to intensify public debate over criminal justice policies and supervision programs, particularly after the shocking violence unfolded in broad daylight at one of the city’s busiest retail stores.
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