An 18-year-old has been charged in the “unprovoked” attack on a Macy’s store manager in Flint Township, Michigan last weekend.
The Genesee County prosecutor announced the assault charge against Damire Palmer on Friday.
According to prosecutor David Leyton, Palmer assaulted the 50-year-old store manager in an unprovoked attack in the men’s clothing department.
The incident happened at a Macy’s store in Genesee Valley Center on June 15. The attack was captured on cellphone video by aspiring rapper FT Quay, who uploaded it to Facebook on Jun 15.
Surveillance video shows Palmer walking around the store before punching the manager in the head.
According to FT Quay, Palmer attacked the manager for using the N-word. But Leyton said there is no evidence the manager used a racial slur in the attack.
“This was an unprovoked attack on a Macy’s employee,” said Prosecutor Leyton. “We don’t believe any racial slur was made by the store manager and even if there had been, it does not condone nor justify the assault by Mr. Palmer.”
Leyton said there was not enough evidence to support a hate crime charge against Palmer.
“I know a lot of people are calling this a hate crime but, under the laws of Michigan, the evidence simply does not support that charge,” he said.
Palmer, who is not yet in police custody, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
