Vons supermarket clerk in California fired after three four attacks in three months by thieves

An autistic clerk at California’s Vons supermarket has claimed he was fired after filing for disability benefits when he was attacked by thieves.

Austin Sherrell, 23, said the Bakersfield store cut his hours and then let him go after he was beaten, stabbed and pepper sprayed in three assaults in four months.

He said the vicious thieves left him “bleeding” and he struggled to come to terms with the attacks due to his mild autism.

It comes amid an ongoing crime spree in the state, as violent crime rips through cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Austin Sherrell, 23, was first attacked on Jan. 19 while taking out the trash at Vons. He would be assaulted twice more within four months, including a near stabbing

Sherrell was first attacked on Jan. 19 while taking out trash at Vons — when two thieves punched him in the face and sprayed him with pepper spray.

“I’m bleeding and I escape and run back in,” he said KGET news. “My biggest problem, what I have is that I’m mildly autistic, I have trouble processing things.”

Two months later, he was attacked again in the same area, but this time “an assailant fell at me with a knife.”

But luckily he had put a roll of garbage bags in his apron pocket and the gun fell in there, instead of him.

‘Incredible. The first incident didn’t shock too much, but the second incident, when you’re close to death, I’m the most shocked I’ve ever been in my entire life, the most scared in my entire life,” he said.

The first two incidents happened in January and March in the dumpster area. He was almost stabbed the second time, but fortunately had placed a roll of garbage bags in his apron prior to the attack, which the attacker stuck into. A third incident occurred at the store where a man, believed to be intoxicated, ‘pushed him in the chest’ before punching him three times

When he returned to Vons (pictured), he noticed his hours were shorter. Austin was suspended after being placed under investigation and later terminated on April 19

Two weeks later, on April 1, two customers told him they were being harassed by a man who may have been intoxicated and he got security to help them.

During the altercation, the man “pushed him in the chest” and came in the face before punching Austin “three times,” according to his father Adam.

“He’s berating me, he’s threatening my life,” Austin said. “I pull back, he comes back in my face. I withdraw again.

The third time I defend myself, I push him away.’ “Security still didn’t do anything,” he said.

Austin filed for compensation for the worker two days later because he had “had nightmares and panic attacks since he was nearly stabbed,” his father said.

Workers’ compensation allows workers who are injured at work to take time off and reimburse medical expenses. It also protects employees from being fired because of their leave.

Austin’s father, Adam (center), said his son asked for workers’ compensation shortly after the third incident because he was having “nightmares and panic attacks.”

On his return he said his hours were reduced, and on April 10 he was suspended from his job at Vons “pending investigation” and on April 19 he was officially fired.

Because the layoff is on his work list, Adam said it’s difficult to find another job for his son.

DailyMail.com has contacted the Sherrells and Vons for comment.

The United Food and Commercial Workers 8-Golden State union, representing Austin, has appealed the termination.

“Our initial findings are that Mr. Sherrell’s dismissal was unjustified,” said President Jacques Loveall.

While Austin has no plans to return to Vons, he said he will miss the customers and often received compliments from them.

“Not to toot my own horn, a lot of people say they like me, a lot of people are like ‘Oh we like that [employee]…Like, I hear it. I hear it all the time,” he told KGET News.

The GoFundMe his father started has raised nearly $3,000 of his $5,000 goal as of Friday morning.