Police say man pepper-sprayed autistic man eating free cookies

Guard called pepper spraying an accident.

ROSEVILLE- (AP) A former security guard faces charges after allegedly pepper-spraying an autistic man who was eating free cookies at a Minnesota grocery store. 

Timothy Knutsen of St. Paul is charged with two misdemeanor counts of fifth-degree assault and disorderly conduct for the March incident at a Cub Foods in Roseville. 

A report says 53-year-old Knutsen was shopping when he saw a 20-year-old man eating “a doughnut or a cookie” from the bakery and tried to alert employees. 

The complaint says Knutsen later followed the man, who is classified as a vulnerable adult, and sprayed him in the face with Mace. 

Knutsen told police he didn’t see the free cookies sign and sprayed the man accidentally.