Video: Anti-Masker Carried Out Of Tucson Sprouts By Son

TUCSON, AZ — A viral video on Twitter shows a man becoming heated at a Sprouts grocery store after being asked to wear a face mask. The man was then forcibly carried out of the establishment by his son.

A representative for Sprouts confirmed to the Arizona Republic that the incident took place at the Tucson location near River and Orange Grove roads on Saturday. The grocery chain requires all individuals over the age of 2 to wear face coverings.

In the video, the man is shown yelling profanities at a Sprouts employee wearing a mask. He shouts about the efficacy of masks and the reality of the coronavirus pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control recommends wearing face coverings to curb the spread of COVID-19.

"These people won't learn," he yelled, according to the video. "You are a bunch of idiots wearing masks. You know it's not real."

Someone then steps between the two individuals and another customer gets involved, yelling at the anti-masker.

"Come outside and show me how tough you are," the man responds. He is eventually picked up and carried out of the store by another man, who could be heard calling him 'Dad' earlier in the footage.

"Sprouts offers a number of accommodations for those who may be unable or unwilling to wear a mask or face shield, including personal shopping options for those who are medically exempt, as well as online ordering for curbside pickup and delivery," a Sprouts spokesperson told the Republic in a statement. The company said an investigation is pending.

The Arizona Department of Health Services coronavirus data dashboard reported 706 new cases and 148 known deaths throughout the state Wednesday. Pima County was home to 127 and 4 of them, respectively. The number of new cases is trending down but the number of deaths is the second highest reported since the pandemic began.