CVS worker Scotty Enoe takes the stand at manslaughter trial for fatally stabbing unhinged homeless man

A CVS worker, Scott Enoe, found himself in a harrowing situation when he was forced to defend himself and his coworkers from an aggressive serial shoplifter inside a Midtown store. Enoe, 48, tearfully testified in court that he resorted to using a knife in self-defense after the thief, Charles Brito, attacked him relentlessly, leaving him with no choice but to protect himself and the women he worked with.

Enoe, originally from Grenada, recounted how Brito ambushed him while he was restocking drinks in a cooler, launching a violent assault that left him overpowered and unable to fend off the attacker with his bare hands. Feeling that Brito posed a serious threat to his coworkers, Enoe made the split-second decision to use a small folding knife to jab the assailant, hoping to prevent further harm to himself and the women in the store.

Despite initially telling the police that he had stabbed Brito out of revenge for the beating he received, Enoe later clarified in court that he was not in the right state of mind at the time and was simply reacting to the intense situation he found himself in. Prosecutors alleged that Enoe stabbed Brito multiple times, causing fatal injuries that led to the shoplifter’s death shortly after the altercation.

Enoe’s coworkers, Katrina Rivera and Allandrea Hoollness, testified about the terrifying ordeal they experienced at the hands of Brito, who had a history of theft and violent behavior. Brito had made threatening remarks and gestures before physically attacking Enoe, prompting the CVS worker to intervene and protect his colleagues from further harm.

Jurors were presented with evidence of Enoe’s injuries sustained during the confrontation and the knife used in the scuffle, as they prepare to deliberate on the charges of manslaughter brought against him. If found guilty, Enoe could face up to 25 years in prison for his actions that day.

The trial has shed light on the challenges faced by retail workers dealing with aggressive and dangerous individuals, highlighting the difficult decisions they sometimes have to make to ensure their safety and that of others. Enoe’s case serves as a stark reminder of the risks faced by frontline workers in the line of duty and the legal consequences that can follow when self-defense is invoked in a life-threatening situation.