(WWJ) The Genesee County Prosecutor's Office has issued a felony warrant for a Flint-area man in the beating of a Macy's store manager.
Video of the assault earlier this month went viral, catching the attention of conservative pundits who took to social media to demand that Prosecutor David Leyton take swift action.
The suspect in the video, identified as 18-year-old Damire Canell Palmer of Mount Morris, is black, while the 50-year-old victim is white.
Palmer is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, a 10-year felony for the attack at the department store at Flint Township's Genesee Valley Center two weeks ago.
In surveillance footage, Palmer is seen walking around before he approaches and punches a manager in the head from behind, knocking him to the floor.
The video (embedded below) is difficult to watch.
Why did you do that?" the victim asks.
"Don't touch me, N-word" the aggressor says.
"I didn't touch you," the victim, on the floor, replies.
Palmer then continues to strikes the older man as he crawls away, pleading, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
Palmer then exits the store with another man.
Leyton said that despite public comments on social media, the police investigation did not uncover any evidence of provocation by the manager.
“This was an unprovoked attack on a Macy’s employee. This behavior as seen on the video is unacceptable, it is criminal, and it cannot be allowed," Leyton said, adding: "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 noted that certain social media accounts and other reports online stating that the phone conversation between the store manager and another Macy’s employee prior to the incident was recorded is a false narrative; the call was on private cell phones and not recorded. He also said there is no audio on the Macy’s store surveillance video contrary to what some had indicated.
Leyton also said he and his senior staff reviewed the case for possibly charging Palmer with ethnic intimidation, a hate crime, but decided against it.
“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,” Leyton said said.
At the time the charges were announced on Friday, Palmer remained at large.
Once arrested, he will be arraigned on the felony charge in 67th District Court.