New Jersey authorities are investigating an announcement made over a public address system at a southern New Jersey Wal-Mart telling “all blacks” to leave the store.
Shortly before 5 p.m. Sunday, an unidentified male accessed the public address system at the Turnersville, New Jersey, Wal-Mart Supercenter Store, Gloucester County prosecutors said.
“All blacks need to leave the store,” the voice announced.
Store management contacted the Washington Township Police Department, which opened an investigation in conjunction with the county prosecutor’s office, Deputy Police Chief John Dalesandro said.
“The incident is being investigated by both law enforcement agencies as a suspected bias intimidation crime,” local authorities said.
Wal-Mart corporate spokesman Lorenzo Lopez said the company is “just as appalled by this as anyone.”
He emphasized that Wal-Mart, the world’s largest public corporation, is working with law enforcement officials in investigating the incident.
“Whoever did this is wrong and acted in an inappropriate manner,” Lopez said. “Clearly this is unacceptable.”
