Some of the language used in this story may be difficult to hear.
RIVER FOREST, Ill. (CBS) – A River Forest business owner says he has been taunted for more than a year by neighboring store owners.
Glenda Harris, the business owner, said he had racially slurred her and her daughter multiple times. An incident this week caught on camera resulted in the man being led away in handcuffs.
River Forest police charged Robert Palomo with misdemeanor assault after they said he committed a crime that was caught on video.
A different camera angle captured Palomo, owner of Diamond in the Ruff in River Forest, approaching the front door of a neighboring business on Wednesday. Her dog grooming business is in the same shopping center as Harris’ business, Epyk Signature Suites. The Black-owned business specializes in braiding, weaving and lashing.
As Palomo approached the front door, he was seen holding a hammer. He then used the hammer to remove the security camera at the entrance.
However, cameras inside the business premises captured the incident.
“I thought he was looking for me, to hit me with a hammer,” Harris said.
He added that over the past year, he has interacted with Palomo many times. “He asked me, why are we here? Why are we doing business here? We are black people. We should not be here. We should leave.”
Video shows Palomo being detained by police on Thursday, the same day Harris called police and filed a report.
Police said Palomo was charged with misdemeanor criminal damage to property. Harris said police told him the charge could be upgraded to a felony if he could provide receipts proving his surveillance system cost more than $500.
CBS News Chicago tried to reach Palomo for comment on his business, but he was not there. CBS News Chicago showed the video to Palomo’s wife, but she declined to comment.
Harris said problems escalated with Palomo on July 16 when he parked his car near her business. The mall does not have dedicated parking for businesses or customers.
“He called me a motherfucker, 10 times, 10 to 15 times, and he refused to stop,” Harris said.
Harris added that he contacted River Forest police that day, though they would not take a report. He said police told him not to park near Palomo’s business.
“We’re trying to get help through the village,” Harris said. “We just want this to be over with.”
Then, on May 23, Harris’ daughter, Erica Robinson, said she was confronted by Palomo after parking in front of his business to go to her mother’s salon, where she works as a beautician’s assistant.
“Before I could get out of the car, he walked up to my car and started yelling, ‘Why are you here? You need to leave! Get out of here, you son of a bitch!'” Robinson said.
Robinson recorded the incident.
Palomo appeared to taunt Robinson about his hair. Palomo’s wife then came out of her business to record Robinson. Palomo gave his wife’s version of the recording to CBS News Chicago.
Robinson can be heard in the video saying, “Stop talking to me! Don’t do it! Don’t do it!”
Palomo’s wife then said, “I didn’t touch you.”
Robinson replied, “Yes, that’s right!”
Later, Palomo is heard again using racial slurs repeatedly on both recordings.
CBS News Chicago asked River Forest police why reports weren’t filed for the May 23 and July 16 incidents. Police were also asked if racial slurs were used and caught on video, why Palomo wasn’t charged with a hate crime.
They didn’t respond.
In a statement, Palomo said the dispute began because Harris employees were taking up six parking spaces in the mall’s parking lot. He said he didn’t want his customers to have to walk across the lot with their dogs for their safety. He added that it was out of frustration that the recent incidents escalated.
Harris said Palomo’s allegations about parking were untrue. He said during the first confrontation with Palomo, Palomo told him he shouldn’t be able to rent at the mall because he was black.
