Customer dies after fighting with workers at Antioch phone vendor stand

A fight that broke out between a customer and the employees of an outdoor phone vendor stand in Antioch led to the death of the customer over the weekend, authorities said.

On June 9, Antioch police officers responded to the Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services building at 4545 Delta Fair Boulevard just before 2:40 p.m. following reports of an assault. When they arrived, officers learned that a customer at the vendor stand had been involved in a verbal and physical fight with employees of the stand and had fallen to the ground during the altercation, the Police Department said.

Witnesses had varying statements about why and how the customer fell, with some witnesses saying he stumbled over a chair, while others reported he may have been pushed during the fight, police said.

The customer, identified as 59-year-old Paul Lawson, told officers that he was unable to move, and was taken in an ambulance to a local hospital for medical treatment, police said. Lawson died on Saturday while receiving care at the hospital.

The circumstances of the fight and Lawson's death remained under investigation. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Antioch Police Department Detective Duff at rduff@antiochca.gov.