619-342-8000
SAN DIEGO (April 9, 2026) – A San Diego woman has filed a lawsuit after a man followed her through a Dollar Tree store and ejaculated on her while she shopped, in a shocking assault her attorneys say is part of a disturbing and growing pattern inside Dollar Tree stores across the country.
The lawsuit, filed by San Diego law firm Haeggquist & Eck, LLP, details how the assault unfolded inside a Clairemont Mesa Boulevard store on March 2, 2025. According to the complaint, the woman, identified as Jane Doe, was shopping for office supplies when she noticed a man watching her and following her from aisle to aisle. He lingered nearby, attempting to make his movements appear coincidental as he tracked her through the store.
Moments later, the man positioned himself directly behind her in the stationery aisle and made physical contact with her from behind. He quickly apologized and walked away. Within seconds, Ms. Doe felt something wet on her clothing and discovered a sticky substance on the back of her pants. She confronted the man, asking whether he had wiped something on her, but he denied it and quickly left the store.
In that moment, she did not yet understand what had happened. It was only after leaving the aisle, and speaking with her boyfriend by phone to report what she had felt and seen that Ms. Doe realized the substance on her clothing was semen and that she had been sexually assaulted.
Still in shock, Ms. Doe reported the incident to a store employee, who documented the substance on her clothing. But there was no manager on duty, and she was later told that although a camera was present in the aisle, it was not functioning, meaning there was no footage of the assault. She went home, called the police, and began trying to process what had happened.
Within days, Ms. Doe learned she was not alone. Another woman had been assaulted in nearly the same way at the same San Diego store just one day earlier. And six days after Ms. Doe’s assault, the same perpetrator returned and assaulted a third victim.
What happened to Ms. Doe mirrors reports from across the country of similar conduct, which authorities in multiple jurisdictions have said are being popularized by social media.
- In Houston, a woman reported that a man followed her through a Dollar Tree store and ejaculated on her, leaving her shaken and afraid to shop alone. Store staff in that case reportedly acknowledged similar prior incidents, underscoring how frequently these assaults are occurring.
- In Philadelphia, a young woman’s mother described her daughter’s experience after a similar assault inside a Dollar Tree as “traumatizing,” explaining how deeply it affected her sense of safety.
- In Colorado Springs, police identified a suspect accused of multiple sex crimes inside a Dollar Tree, including following women through aisles and engaging in non-consensual sexual conduct.
- And in communities from Washington state to Maryland and Georgia, reports describe men exposing themselves, assaulting customers, or being arrested after incidents inside Dollar Tree stores.
“This is not an isolated incident. It’s a pattern,” said Alreen Haeggquist, managing partner at Haeggquist & Eck, who is representing Ms. Doe. “Women across the country are being targeted in the same way, inside the same stores, and the company has done far too little to stop it.”
The lawsuit alleges that Dollar Tree had direct notice of the danger at this specific San Diego location, yet failed to act. According to the complaint, the company’s practices, including chronic understaffing, lack of working surveillance cameras, and absence of meaningful security measures, created an environment where predators could operate without being stopped.
For Ms. Doe, the impact has been lasting. She continues to experience anxiety, fear, and emotional trauma stemming from the assault, with what should have been a routine trip to a retail store now affecting how she moves through the world.
“This should never happen anywhere,” Haeggquist said. “And the fact that it’s happening inside stores, over and over again, is absolutely unacceptable. Dollar Tree knew of this danger and completely failed to protect Ms. Doe – and it continues to fail to protect countless other female customers.”
If you or someone you know has experienced a similar incident, you are not alone. Haeggquist & Eck encourages other victims to come forward and seek support. Contact Alreen Haeggquist at alreenh@haelaw.com for a confidential conversation.
About Haeggquist & Eck, LLP
Haeggquist & Eck is a San Diego-based law firm dedicated to standing up for individuals whose rights have been violated, with a focus on employment law, civil rights, and representing survivors of sexual assault.
