DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Security had to run in and separate two women inside a DeKalb County Walmart after one customer accused another of calling her a racial slur.
Incidents like this have happened all across the country, so Channel 2′s Audrey Washington learned what rights people have if they are caught in this situation.
Customers inside a Walmart in Stone Mountain last Thursday starting recording right away as the two women fought.
Channel 2 Action News blurred the faces of the two women involved, but according to customers, the heated confrontation began when a white woman seen in the video cut the line.
Lavern St. Ange and her grandson Kameron Brown watched the exchange.
“'The lady behind me who I was talking with said, ‘The line is not here, it’s around back.’ And she said, ‘No I was here all along’ and she said, ‘No you weren’t.’" St. Ange said.
“The Black lady said ‘You’re not Jesus, you don’t tell me what to do’ and that’s when the white lady said, ‘Shut up you (expletive) and then it was on.’"
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Before things got more intense, a Walmart employee and security rushed over and separated the two women. Brown said the whole thing left him in shock.
“It’s just not right," he said.
In a statement, a Walmart representative said:
“We are thankful our associates were able to de-escalate the situation and both customers left the store without further incident. Discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated in our stores. We want to ensure our stores remain a welcoming place for all customers.”
Washington spoke with attorney Justin Miller about what can happen to a person who calls another person a racial slur. He said to first get video of the incident, second go to police and third get the person’s name.
“They can be charged with disorderly conduct. I would say that in that instance as well you would probably need to speak to the police immediately.”
Miller also said if the slur makes a person feel threatened, they can get a restraining order against the offender.