People Call for Boycott of Beauty Supply Store After Manager Holds Black Woman in a Deadly Choke Hold
Outrage has once again hit the Charlotte area after the manager of a beauty supply store was recorded kicking and choking a female customer. Sung Ho Lim of Missha Beauty has since been removed from his job after the video received national attention.
Lim has since confirmed that he is the one in the video assaulting the woman because he suspected her of stealing eyelashes. A fellow customer in the store recorded the altercation while someone in the background dialed the police.
In the video, the unidentified woman tells Lim, 'Check my bag, I don't have anything'
The shopper is then pushed by another store associate and Lim then puts his hands on her. Later on, Lim kicks her and physically grabs her, eventually taking her to the ground in a choke hold.
When the woman starts gasping for air, the associate and other customers tell Lim to back off and release her. Lim has since taken responsibility for his actions.
"This is my fault," Lim told WBTV. "I have to take the whole video and give it to the police."
Lim’s niece told WBTV her uncle also offered to meet with the woman to apologize. However, no such meeting has yet taken place. The store surveillance video has been given to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
According to a police report filed by Lim, the woman stole eyelashes from the store and Lim tried to detain her.
"The female attempted to leave the store, but [Lim] blocked the exit and asked the female to show him what was in her bag since the alarm had gone off. The female refused and a struggle ensued. The female then left the store and fled in a silver Dodge sedan," police said.
Lim has not been charged and police say the woman "has not been identified or arrested."
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg chapter of the NAACP called for rallies outside the store
Several customers of the store have called for immediate boycotts
On Sunday, protesters and NAACP members protested outside the store. Lim met with protesters and apologized for his actions.
"I don't know, it just happened. I went crazy," Lim said. "No matter what the reason, I feel very sorry to her and to them."
Several of the protesters feel that Lim owes the Black community of Charlotte a formal apology.
"Guess what, we are the ones who go to his store on a regular basis and allow his family to live a good quality of life," said Corine Mack of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg chapter of the NAACP.
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