An Oregon woman was caught on video allegedly harassing an African American family, including spitting at them and even pulling a knife, over a dispute over a parking space.
As the Oregonian reports, Emora Roberson, 20, who is African American, was driving with her boyfriend, aunt, and 15-month-old daughter on Christmas Eve when they stopped at a shopping center for some last-minute gifts. Roberson parked her Kia Sedona in an empty spot next to a parked pickup truck.
The trouble began almost immediately. Roberson says that the driver of the truck, a white woman, accused Roberson of having parked “crooked.” This apparently enraged the woman, who reportedly began using racist slurs against the family.
“My daughter was fast asleep, and this woman was basically trying to get into our car.”
The situation then began escalating. Roberson says that the woman slapped and split on her boyfriend, Keysuan Goodyear. When Goodyear tried to explain that such behavior was dangerous and inappropriate, Roberson says the woman pulled out a knife.
That’s when Roberson started filming the incident on her cell phone.
She later put the video up on Facebook, according to KPTV-TV (Portland), and you can watch it below. But be warned, this video contains content that may be disturbing to some viewers.
“Racism is alive and here right where we live.”
The confrontation continued for a few more minutes, with the woman at one point claiming she was going to use the knife in “self-defense.”
Eventually, the woman got back into her truck and started making a phone call. Roberson took the opportunity to drive away, saying she had more Christmas shopping to do.
“My daughter woke up and was crying her head off.”
Roberson later called the police, who began investigating the incident.
Police later made an arrest, according to KOIN-TV (Portland). Authorities say that Amber Rocco, 39, was arrested Friday night. She was taken downtown and charged with two felony charges of intimidation and unlawful use of a weapon, and two misdemeanor charges of menacing and harassment. Her bail was set at $55,000.
It appears that McMinnville police got at least some help from the general public in tracking down Rocco. Authorities say that “received information from several uninvolved people” in investigating this incident.
This is not the first time that a race-fueled confrontation has erupted over a parking spot. As Global News reported in August, Rahul Kumar says that he tried to speak to a neighbor who had parked illegally in an emergency lane. The woman allegedly responded by hurling racist insults at him.
