Michigan man accused of assaulting Macy’s employee arrested

A Michigan man accused of assaulting a Macy’s department store manager last month was arrested, authorities said.

Damire Canell Palmer, 18, of Mount Morris, was arrested on suspicion of felony assault and misdemeanor retail fraud, The Detroit News reported.

The attack was caught on a cellphone video on June 15 at the Genesee Valley Center in Flint Township and went viral, WKRC reported.

The attack allegedly was sparked by a racial slur, but Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said there was no evidence the victim had provoked the attack, WXYZ reported.

Surveillance video from Macy’s allegedly shows Palmer walking around the store before he approaches and punches the 50-year-old manager in the head from behind, The Detroit News reported. The punch knocked the manager to the floor, authorities said.

The video was originally posted on Rapper FT Quay’s Facebook page, WXYZ reported. The video has since been removed.

Leyton said investigators failed to uncover evidence of provocation or racial comments.

“This was an unprovoked attack on a Macy’s employee,” Leyton said when he announced charges on June 26. “This behavior, as seen on the video, is unacceptable, it is criminal and it cannot be allowed.

“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.

“Violence in the workplace of any kind is unacceptable,” Macy’s said in a statement last month. “All the materials from the evening have been reviewed and it is clear that the attack was unprovoked. We are working closely with local authorities on this investigation and will defer any further comments about the case to them per policy.”


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