Arrest made in Walmart racial remark case

An arrest has been made in the South Jersey Walmart incident where a customer asked “all black people” to leave the store over the store public address system.
Washington Township Police say a 16-year old Buena Regional High School student will be charged with harassment and bias intimidation for allegedly making the announcement.

An arrest has been made in the South Jersey Walmart incident where a customer asked “all black people” to leave the store over the store public address system.

WHYYs Meggan Kole has more
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Washington Township Police say a 16-year old Buena Regional High School student will be charged with harassment and bias intimidation for allegedly making the announcement.

Walmart stores have been the target of similar practical jokes. Several Web sites are dedicated to pranks on the stores’ customers. But unlike this one, the typical stunts include announcing fake discounts or or singing popular songs for a laugh.

But Loretta Winters of the Gloucester County NAACP says this so-called prank went way too far.

Winters: We had customers in the store at the time saying they didn’t know whether they were being targeted, being or someone was out to shoot black folks or you know all kinds of  scared tactics and feelings were surfacing.

Walmart officials say they have modified that stores intercom system to avoid future problems like this, and says the retailer apologizes to anyone who had to hear “something so offensive.”