Video showing a towing company employee using a racial slur during a confrontation with a customer has attracted lots of attention online — and cost that company its contract with a New Jersey town.
The video shows the dispute outside Ajaco Towing in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, as police are seen holding a man at the top of a set of stairs back, trying to get him inside. The man is irate, screaming at the man who is recording the video. As police finally push him inside the building, the man can be heard shouting the "N" word.
The person recording the altercation posted it on his Instagram account. His car had been towed after getting into an accident, and he was there to get it back, when the argument broke out and things escalated.
Jason Cleffi, the own of Ajaco Towing, saying the man recording the video have been there for an hour, arguing with employees after he was unable to pay the towing bill. The man then left and came back with police, and at some point words were exchanged, which is when Cleffi says the man filming threatened the employee.
"Two men got into a heated argument that never should've happened," Cleffi told NBC New York. "I take it very serious. I have to apologize for my employee's action, I have to apologize to anyone who had to be subjected to that. I do not tolerate that."
The town of Parsippany called the employee's behavior "inexcusable," and said in a statement that "After reviewing the video, the Township of Pasippany-Troy Hills and the Parsippany Police Department has decided to no longer use Ajaco Towing effective immediately. Additionally, Ajaco Towing has been removed from any rotation list for any towing business conducted by municipal operations."
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Cleffi said that "both men should be reprimanded for their behavior," saying that the racist language "was used in both party's mouths."
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NBC New York attempted to contact the man who recorded the video and who was on the receiving end of the racial slur, but he did not respond to a request for comment. Parsippany Police said the department is continuing its investigation.
