Thomas Diiorio charged with harassment and bias intimidation after viral neighbour video
Mount Laurel Police charged Thomas Diiorio with bias intimidation after detectives reviewed a viral video of the confrontation
A New Jersey man has been charged with harassment and bias intimidation after a video capturing him yelling at his neighbour spread widely online.
Charges filed after viral video reviewed
Thomas Diiorio, a 40-year-old White man, was charged following an incident documented on video in which he was seen yelling at a Black woman in the neighbourhood of Mount Laurel, New Jersey, on Monday.
The Mount Laurel Police Department (MLPD) announced the charges in a news release published on Wednesday.
Officers were initially called to the scene in response to a juvenile incident at approximately 6:30 p.m. Upon arrival, the parties involved were separated.
At that stage, both parents accused one another of wrongdoing, though neither chose to pursue criminal complaints, according to the police release.
What the video shows
During the subsequent follow-up investigation, detectives reviewed a video of the alleged incident that had been submitted to them on Wednesday.
In the footage, Diiorio appears to confront the female neighbour, yelling, "Get the f--- out of here." He shouted, "Go!" and instructed the woman to "get in your car."
The woman is seen in the clip walking away from him whilst speaking on the phone, as Diiorio continued to move towards her. She can be heard pleading for assistance, shouting, "Someone call the cops."
"You people" remark central to bias intimidation charge
Following the conclusion of the investigation, a criminal complaint was filed against Diiorio and he was formally charged with harassment and bias intimidation.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by the Cherry Hill Courier-Post, Diiorio used the phrase "you people" whilst yelling at the alleged victim.
He subsequently told authorities he was referring to Black people when he used the phrase, stating "Because he never seems to have these problems with [White] people," the complaint alleges.
Arrest, court appearance and next steps
Diiorio was arrested on Wednesday and taken into custody at Burlington County Jail. He appeared before a court on Thursday, where he was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim, according to ABC 6.
He was subsequently released from custody, with his next court appearance scheduled for July.
