Skateboarders at the Patterson Skate Park came to the aid of a store clerk who was assaulted outside M & S Mini Mart near West Las Palmas and Ward avenues Monday afternoon, Oct. 8, according to police.

Patterson resident Terrance Lamont Gospel, 21, was arrested regarding the incident later in the day on suspicion of strong-arm robbery, according to Sgt. Paul Yotsuya of Patterson Police Services.

Gospel and the clerk argued about the price of cigars before the 2:30 p.m. assault, Yotsuya said.

“He charged (Gospel) $1.65, and he stated he usually got charged $1.50,” Yotsuya said. “(Gospel) made some veiled threats, and the clerk called 911.”

Yotsuya said Gospel grabbed some sunflower seeds on his way out of the store, and the clerk tried to stop him. When they were outside the store, the clerk — who was still on the phone with dispatchers — grabbed the handlebars of Gospel’s bicycle as he tried to leave. Gospel then punched the clerk in the face and knocked him out, Yotsuya said.

Several young skateboarders left the skate park across the street and went to the clerk’s side, helping him recover and watching the store as Gospel fled and police were dispatched, Yotsuya said.

The clerk was treated at the scene and released, he said.

Patterson deputies were able to identify Gospel through surveillance equipment in the store, he said, and arrested Gospel two hours later at his home in Patterson. Gospel has had run-ins with police and was known to deputies, Yotsuya said.

Police did not know the identities of the skaters as of Wednesday, Oct. 10, but they were trying to identify them through surveillance equipment to congratulate them, Yotsuya said.

• Contact Nick Rappley at 892-6187, ext. 31, or nick@pattersonirrigator.com.