CHARLOTTE, NC – A man has been charged after a video showed him trashing a Korean store in downtown Charlotte on Tuesday afternoon.
The incident occurred at about 3:30 p.m., in Plaza Sundries on Trade Street in the Charlotte Transportation Center.
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The owners of the business are Korean and have been working for about 20 years. Their son, Mark Sung, told Channel 9 there was no doubt in his family that they were targeted because they were Asians.
The video from the store’s security camera shows 24-year-old Xavier Woody Silas entering the store and immediately pulling down a merchandise. He then takes a metal bar and swings it everywhere in the store, hitting shelves and drinking machines.
(Watch the surveillance video of the attack below)
Security officers at the transit center called police who arrested Silas. The owners and customers were inside during the riot but were not injured.
According to Sung, this is not the first time his family’s story has been vandalized.
“We average about one of these incidents a year,” he said. “I only came a little early this year.”
Sung told U.S. veteran crime reporter Mark Becker on Channel 9 that he believes a man banning his family from the store hired Silas to take revenge on the store.
He said during the attack, Silas shouted racial slurs.
‘While doing so, he was like talking about races, cursing at us, threatening us. And the man who forbids us finally comes into the store and encourages him and shouts, ‘This is what you get! This is what you get! Go back to your country! ” Sung said.
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After taking a day to clean up the mess, Sung said his parents reopened the store. He told Channel 9 that he had given up hope that the hatred would disappear.
“This whole racist thing is not just going to go away,” he said. “It’s been around for centuries.”
Silas was arrested but has since been released. He faces several charges, including damage to personal property, communication of threats and disorderly conduct. Officials said police are also filing a possible complaint from Misdemeanor Ethnic Intimidation under the North Carolina Hate Crimes Act, at least in part based on alleged statements to the store clerk.
A GoFundMe started helping Sung’s family settle damages to their store raised more than $ 17,000. You can donate here.
Charlotte Area Transit System sent Channel 9 the following statement:
‘On March 30, 2021, a violent incident occurred at Plaza Sundries in the Charlotte Transportation Center (CTC) that caused great damage to the business. The suspect involved in the incident, Mr. Xavier Rashee Woody-Silas, was immediately arrested by the G4S company’s police and received the following charges:
- Damage to personal property – For the alleged extensive damage to property of the business
- Robbery with a dangerous weapon – because he allegedly used a street nameplate as a weapon to cause serious property damage while taking your store product without payment
- Communicating threats – because they allegedly threatened verbal threats against the police officers who reacted to the incident
- Misdemeanor Larceny – for allegedly taking product (energy drink) during the act of serious damage to property
- Disorderly conduct – because they allegedly shouted and cursed, as well as physically and verbally insulting their police officers
- Resist, procrastinate and hinder – because they allegedly physically resisted the officers to keep the subject going
In addition, CATS understands that police are pursuing a possible complaint of Misdemeanor Ethnic Intimidation (under North Carolina’s hate crimes law) based at least in part on alleged statements to the store clerk.
The suspect was also banned from all CATS facilities and services.
CATS confirmed that G4S has increased the presence of officers at the CTC. CATS strongly condemns any act of racism or violence and will continue to prioritize the safety of all. ”