“She grabbed my hair… and twirled me around.”
The Keansburg Pharmacy assault arrest has shocked the local community after police bodycam footage revealed a violent confrontation between family members in broad daylight. On October 1, 2024, officers from the Keansburg Police Department responded to a distress call at the Keansburg Pharmacy on Main Street.
What started as a chance encounter between two sisters-in-law quickly escalated into a physical altercation that left one woman unable to walk. The incident, captured on security cameras and reviewed by police, highlights how quickly personal feuds can turn criminal in public spaces.
Table of Contents
Watch: Keansburg Pharmacy Assault Arrest Caught on Camera
Note: Pay close attention to the timestamp at 00:19:33 where the officer narrates the security footage, confirming the suspect “twirls her around” by the hair.
Full Story: How the Incident Unfolded
Bad Blood: “Ongoing Issues”
The victim, identified as Elizabeth Talamo, was at the Keansburg Pharmacy when her sister-in-law, Randi Conklin, walked in. According to the bodycam transcript, the two women had a troubled history.
“She’s been harassing me,” Talamo told the officer, explaining that she had blocked Conklin on social media. Talamo claimed she tried to avoid Conklin to prevent any conflict. However, the tension boiled over in the pharmacy’s common area. Talamo stated she simply asked, “Why are you running your mouth?” in a calm manner before the situation exploded.
The Attack: “She Blew My Knee”
Witnesses and the victim described a sudden and aggressive attack. Talamo stated that Conklin approached her, grabbed her hair, and threw her to the ground.
The physical toll was immediate. “I can’t walk,” Talamo told the officers, fearing her knee was “blown” out during the struggle. She required medical attention, although she initially declined EMS transport, later accepting it as a precaution for her knee injury.
The Footage: Police Watch the Replay
To confirm the story, officers entered the pharmacy office to review security footage. The video provided a clear, frame-by-frame account of the Keansburg Pharmacy assault arrest.
The reviewing officer narrated the footage for the record: “Randy grabs her by the hair… twirls her around… and, like, kind of like, drops her on the ground”. The officer noted that while Talamo did seem to speak to Conklin first, the physical escalation was largely one-sided.
The Suspect: “You Disrespected Me”
Police located the suspect, Randi Conklin, shortly after the incident. When questioned, Conklin did not deny the physical altercation.
“You disrespected me,” Conklin told the officer, justifying her actions by claiming Talamo had “got in my face”. Conklin appeared resigned to her fate, telling the officer, “I know you’re just doing a job… put them on,” referring to the handcuffs.
She was taken into custody without further resistance and transported to headquarters.
The Arrest: Charges Against Randi Conklin
Police determined that the video evidence and the victim’s injuries warranted serious charges. The “simple” fight turned into a felony-level investigation due to the severity of the knee injury.
| Charge | Simple Explanation | Potential Penalty (NJ) |
| Aggravated Assault | Causing significant bodily injury (Attempt/Cause) | 3-5 Years Prison / Fines |
| Simple Assault | Purposely or knowingly causing bodily injury | Up to 6 Months Jail / Fines |
Legal Analysis: Was the Keansburg Pharmacy Assault Arrest Justified?
Self-Defense vs. Retaliation
In New Jersey, self-defense claims require that the defendant reasonably believed force was necessary to protect themselves from immediate harm. In this Keansburg Pharmacy assault arrest, the video evidence is critical.
The officer observed that while Talamo may have initiated a conversation, Conklin escalated it to physical violence. Verbal provocation (“disrespect”) is almost never a legal justification for physical assault. The officer noted, “It does not give you a right to put your f***ing hands on someone”.
Police Protocol
The officers followed standard procedure by separating the parties and verifying witness statements with objective video evidence before making an arrest. By viewing the tape, they established “Probable Cause” that Conklin was the primary aggressor, protecting the department from claims of false arrest.
[Read more Evidence Decode investigations here]
5 FAQs connected to the charges in this case, designed to answer common reader questions about assault laws and family disputes in the US:
What turns a “Simple Assault” into “Aggravated Assault”?
The main difference is usually the severity of the injury or the intent. While Simple Assault typically involves minor injuries (like cuts, bruises, or temporary pain), Aggravated Assault charges are filed when the victim suffers “significant” or “serious” bodily injury. In this case, because the victim suffered a knee injury that prevented her from walking, the charge was upgraded to a felony-level offense.
Is “disrespect” or verbal provocation a valid legal defense?
Generally, no. In the eyes of the law, words alone—no matter how rude or insulting—do not justify the use of physical force. While a defense attorney might argue that a suspect was provoked to try to reduce the sentence, claiming “she got in my face” or “she disrespected me” is rarely a successful defense for starting a physical fight.
Can a fight between in-laws be considered Domestic Violence?
Yes. In many states, including New Jersey, domestic violence laws apply not just to spouses or people living together, but also to extended family members. If the dispute is classified as domestic violence, it can lead to stricter restraining orders, the seizure of weapons, and mandatory arrests, even if the two parties do not live in the same house.
How does video footage change a “he-said, she-said” investigation?
Video evidence provides an objective timeline that verbal statements cannot. In assault cases, police look for the “primary aggressor”—the person who escalated the conflict from verbal to physical. As seen in this case, even if two people are arguing, security footage can instantly prove who threw the first punch or grab, allowing police to make an immediate arrest rather than letting both parties go.
Does declining an ambulance hurt a victim’s assault case?
Not necessarily. It is common for adrenaline to mask pain immediately after a fight, or for victims to refuse an ambulance due to cost. As long as the victim seeks medical attention reasonably soon after the event (as the victim did here for her knee), the medical records can still be used as evidence to support an assault charge in court.
Conclusion & Current Status
Randi Conklin was processed at Keansburg Police Headquarters and charged with both Simple Assault and Aggravated Assault. She was released from custody later that afternoon at 14:44.
The case is now closed regarding the police investigation, with a disposition date of October 1, 2024. The courts will now decide if the “disrespect” Conklin felt was worth the felony charges she now faces.
Download Police Report click here.
Disclaimer: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This report is based on official police records.
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