Black, Latino Teens Forced to Run for Their Lives After Store Clerk Chases Them with Blade

A 7-Eleven employee of Lombard, Illinois is facing felony charges for threatening four men with a weapon and yelling racial slurs on Thursday night.

32-year-old Ranferi Basilo was taken into custody by Lombard Police on Friday after a racist encounter with customers. Authorities said they have no idea as to what “provoked him to behave in” an erratic manner, but the store clerk was charged with two felony counts of hate crime, one misdemeanor count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one misdemeanor count of criminal damage to property according to Chicago Suntimes.

The incident began moments after three Black teens and one Hispanic teen walked into 7-Eleven store according to the DuPage County state’s attorney and sheriff offices. As the patrons started shopping, Basilo started shouting racial epithets their way.

The customers decided to leave from the store to ignore the racial abuse, but the store employee followed them outside and began chasing the men around with a “long-bladed knife.” Basilo continued to yell racial slurs as the teens ran away, leaving their vehicle in the parking lot. He then allegedly slashed the customer’s car tires.

Officers reviewed the surveillance cameras inside of the store and were able to verify the incident.

“Hate crimes, and the accompanying prejudice that fuels these despicable actions, have no place in our society and will not be tolerated in DuPage County,” State’s Attorney Robert Berlin stated.

Basilo is being held behind bars on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled back in court on Dec. 4.