FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. — A man who works as the Easter Bunny at St. Clair Square Mall is accused of assaulting a Fairview Heights police officer Thursday night.
Police said the man assaulted the female officer and then ran through the mall around 7:00 p.m. Thursday. When officers caught up with him, they believed he was a threat and tased him to make an arrest.
The man, whose name was not released, was dressed in a bunny costume earlier that day. However, he was not wearing it during the altercation.
The Fairview Heights Police Department did not say what lead up to the assault. The department released the following statement: “This is an ongoing investigation with the Fairview Heights Police Department. This was an isolated incident, and the police are investigating.”
A St. Clair Square spokesperson said an outside company, Cherry Hill Programs, hires people to dress as the Easter Bunny at the mall. FOX 2 reached out to that company for a statement but has not heard back.
Fairview Heights police turned the case over to the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office, where they are awaiting charges to be filed.
