LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department said it is seeking leads regarding an incident at the Safeway store on Sunday afternoon in which customers and employees alike had difficulty breathing due to the release of an aerosol substance.

The store reopened early Sunday evening after a nearly two-hour closure, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.

He said his department is investigating the Sunday incident as a felony crime and officers are currently following up on leads in order to identify who was responsible.

Police and firefighters initially were dispatched to the store on 11th Street at around 3:30 p.m., after numerous people reported choking and shortness of breath at the front of the store, as Lake County News has reported.

Lakeport Fire, Kelseyville Fire, Northshore Fire, the Lakeport Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Lake County Environmental Health all were reported to have responded to the scene.

Based on the investigation so far, Rasmussen said it’s believed that pepper was the substance that was released by an unknown individual.

Store courtesy clerk Brittany Faustino told Lake County News that the substance had no smell, and that numerous people – including herself – had suddenly started to choke and cough.

Once the store was evacuated, Rasmussen said his officers began a criminal investigation while the fire department set up positive pressure ventilation to rid the store of contaminants.

At 5:20 p.m., police, fire and Environmental Health staff believed the store was safe for customers and store management was advised they could repopulate the store, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said numerous people were treated at the scene by fire medical staff and one subject was transported to a local hospital for treatment. No further details on the conditions of victims was known at the time of Rasmussen’s Sunday night report.

“We also believe that numerous other victims left the store without being treated by medical staff. We would like to identify and talk with those persons as well and any person who may have seen anything suspicious in the store this afternoon,” Rasmussen said.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Lakeport Police Department by sending a private message on its Facebook page @LakeportPolice, emailing investigating Police Officer Mark Steele at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , calling 707-263-5491 and asking to talk with an officer or sending an anonymous message from your cellular phone by texting the words TIP LAKEPORT followed by your message to 888777. 

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.