Maryland woman arrested for assaulting gay man in grocery store faces hate crime charges

"A man known only by the initial D and his account handle @deonteiy was shopping at Giant grocery store on Christmas day when Colbert approached him and began berating him. The man filmed Colbert ramming him with his cart while throwing groceries at him, making comments such as "Boy, get out of here with your gay ass" and "I'm sick of this gay ass shit, bro.""

""Just got hate crimed in the grocery store," the man wrote in the video's caption. He wrote in a follow up post, "All jokes aside this was a very traumatic experience for me. I do not believe in hitting women and refused to let her take me that far out of my character." "For those wondering why I chose to record instead of immediately calling the police or reacting, it was because the situation could have easily been misrepresented and turned into a narrative that portrayed me as the perpetrator," he added."

"Shibritney Colbert, 34, of Landover, Maryland has been charged with felony eluding, assault and battery, destruction of property, and driving an unregistered vehicle, the Alexandria Police Department announced Monday, with the case being evaluated for bias-based penalty enhancements. Officers arrived after a 9-1-1 call was placed reporting a fight inside the store, prompting Colbert to flee in her vehicle as they attempted to detain her, according to the police report. Colbert was identified and apprehended with the help of authorities in Maryland, and taken into custody on January 8."

Shibritney Colbert, 34, of Landover, Maryland was charged with felony eluding, assault and battery, destruction of property, and driving an unregistered vehicle. A man identified by the initial D and his account @deonteiy filmed Colbert ramming him with a shopping cart, throwing groceries, and using anti-gay slurs while he shopped at a Giant grocery store on Christmas Day. The victim posted the video, described the incident as traumatic, and explained he recorded to protect himself from misrepresentation. Officers responded to a 9-1-1 call, Colbert fled, and was later apprehended in Maryland on January 8. The case is being evaluated for bias-based penalty enhancements under a new policy.

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