HOWELL – A confrontation that Howell police are labeling a bias incident and harassment has authorities seeking a woman who confronted a young man.
According to a Sept. 21 press release from the Howell Police Department, at 10 p.m. Sept. 5, an Orthodox Jewish juvenile male was standing in front of Walmart, Route 9, with several friends when he was harassed by a woman he did not know.
The young man told police the woman was entering the store with a man when she turned toward him and confronted him in an aggressive manner without provocation. He told police that the man who was with the woman attempted to restrain her, but was unable to do so.
The young man told police the woman asked him if he was from Lakewood and then told him to “go back to Lakewood you (expletive) Hasidic Jews.”
Lakewood is home to a sizable population of Orthodox Jews.
The young man told police the woman pushed him and entered the store. She left several minutes later and was gone prior to the arrival of police officers.
The woman is described as a white female in her mid 20’s to early 30’s. Police said she was driving a vehicle which appeared to be a newer white four-door Kia Optima.