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Arrest is made in racial insult at N.J. Wal-Mart

Washington Township police say they have made an arrest in the use of the public-address system at a Turnersville Wal-Mart on Sunday night to tell black shoppers that they should leave the store.

Ronald Tinsley, Shelia Ellington (center), and Tracy Jenkins were at the store when a racist remark was made. (AP)
Ronald Tinsley, Shelia Ellington (center), and Tracy Jenkins were at the store when a racist remark was made. (AP)Read more
    Inquirer
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Washington Township police said last night that they made an arrest in the use of the public-address system at a Turnersville Wal-Mart on Sunday night to tell black shoppers that they should leave the store.

Dispatchers declined comment last night, but the department's Web site said police and the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office would hold a news conference today "to announce the arrest of a subject for a bias incident that took place on March 14th, 2010 at the Turnersville Wal-Mart."

Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Bernie Weisenfeld declined comment last night.

Store officials said Thursday that they were working to reduce the number of publicly accessible phones with public-address capabilities. Authorities said the statement could have been made from one of 25 phones in the Wal-Mart, not all of which were in range of security cameras.

The Wal-Mart announcement occurred about 5 p.m. when a male voice calmly said: "Attention, Wal-Mart customers. All black people, leave the store now."

    Inquirer