Man seen using racial slurs at woman in Rostraver Township Walmart charged with ethnic intimidation
A man is facing multiple charges after a viral video showed him using racial slurs at a woman in a Westmoreland County Walmart, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Wednesday.
State police and the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office charged 36-year-old Michael Todora of Speers Borough with ethnic intimidation, harassment and disorderly conduct.
In the video, which police said went viral on social media, a man with a cellphone went up to a woman shopping at the Walmart in Rostraver Township and asked her personal questions about her finances before using racial slurs. The woman, who reported the incident to law enforcement, is an immigrant from Liberia who runs a grocery store in Charleroi.
Rostraver Township police handled the original incident, but state police said it was later referred to the criminal investigation unit. In a news release last month, state police said investigators were conducting multiple interviews and gathering multiple pieces of evidence. The FBI was also involved in the investigation, police said.
While police announced charges against Todora on Wednesday, troopers said the investigation is still ongoing. Authorities didn't release any other information.