Rochester, Minnesota — At a town hall meeting Wednesday night, Rochester leaders vowed to seek justice for a five-year-old boy who was at the center of a racist incident captured on video.
A town hall meeting was held at the city’s Civic Center, with approximately 100 people attending. Several people attended the panel, including Rochester NAACP President Wale Elegbede and Mayor Kim Norton.
The video shows a man confronting Shiloh Hendrix, a woman, for calling the boy a slur and then repeating it at a local playground.
“It’s not okay here, and we’re not going to tolerate it here,” Mayor Norton stated. “Our parks should be places of joy, safety and belonging.”
In the video, Hendrix accuses the boy of stealing from her toddler’s diaper bag, repeating the word several times while gesturing.
The group demands that she be held accountable and face charges.
“At this time, we strongly recommend that the city attorney and/or county attorney look into every law on the books that can hold this woman accountable for what she did,” said NAACP Minnesota/Dakotas Area State Conference President Joel Franklin.
Rochester Police say they have completed an investigation, though it is unclear what they discovered. According to a written statement, the City of Rochester Police Department has concluded its investigation into a disturbing video posted on social media.
The findings have been submitted to the Rochester City Attorney’s Office for review and consideration of a charging decision. RPD takes all reports and allegations seriously and must conduct a thorough investigation to ensure due process.
We recognize that the behavior captured on video has raised many concerns, and we appreciate the community’s patience as we conduct the investigation and move forward.”
The leaders argue that this is not an isolated incident, citing several other instances of racial slurs being used last year, such as when teens spelled out a slur with cups and a chain link fence, and another when a State Representative’s home was vandalized with swastikas.
“America has a past that we need to educate ourselves on, and it doesn’t take long to realize that if it isn’t my child, it will be your child,” said local businessman Joseph Phillips.
The boy’s family also spoke out for the first time, requesting privacy and writing, “We are doing everything we can to shield our child from further trauma.”