A woman has been arrested and is facing charges including aggravated battery and assault with prejudice after allegedly attacking a Jewish teenager at a Target store in North Miami Beach, Florida. The incident, which occurred on August 2, was captured on surveillance video and is being investigated by the State Attorney's Office's Hate Crimes Unit.
Chyvonne Palmer, 43, was taken into custody following the altercation. According to an arrest report, Palmer approached the teen, who was seated at a Starbucks inside the Target, and struck him with her cellphone. Surveillance footage shows Palmer then attempting to attack the teen with a chair, prompting bystanders to intervene.
The victim, who was wearing a yarmulke, stated that the attack was unprovoked and that he had no prior interaction with Palmer. He described the cellphone used in the assault as being "the size of half a brick."
During the incident, Palmer was heard repeatedly shouting, "I hate them," the arrest report states.
Following the arrest, Palmer appeared in Miami-Dade Circuit Court. Judge Rosa C Figarola ordered her banned from the Target store where the incident occurred and prohibited her from having any contact with the victim. Palmer remains in custody on a bond of $12,750.
A spokesperson for Target issued a statement emphasizing the company's commitment to guest and team member safety, stating, "We do not tolerate this kind of behavior in our stores and we are cooperating fully with law enforcement."
The North Miami Police Department is involved in the investigation.
