SAN RAMON, Calif. (KRON) — Two people enjoying food at an In-N-Out Burger in San Ramon were faced with racist language and threats on the night of Christmas Eve, and it was all caught on video.
Arine Kim and her friend were filming themselves while trying menu items at In-N-Out, and she says that’s when a man approached them from behind before saying, “You’re filming yourself eating? You’re weird homosexuals.”
Kim and her friend laughed in shock in response. Not long after, the man returned to their table and asked, “Are you Japanese or Korean? Are you Kim Jong Un’s boyfriend? You have gay sex with him?”
After a brief exchange, Kim’s friend responded with sass and asked if he could take the man out to dinner. That’s when Kim realized the incident could escalate, and she repeatedly said, “Stop.” The man responded by threatening to spit in their face.
The pair tried to play it cool and ignore him, but the man later returned and referred to himself as a slave master before hurling a homophobic slur at Kim’s friend. He then said, “See you outside in a minute.”
A bystander nearby then came up to check on Kim and her friend, who said, “This is not in the name of holiday cheer.”
Kim tells KRON4 that when the man came back into the restaurant to pick up his order he began harassing other people of color too. Kim says after the interactions, the man would step outside the restaurant to smoke cigarettes while gesturing and staring at the pair.
Kim and her friend decided to wait until the In-N-Out location closed before leaving, and the pair asked one of the employees to check outside to be sure he wasn’t still waiting for them. Kim was grateful the employee watched as they walked to their car to ensure they made it safely.
Kim later posted the video to her social media pages, where it caught the attention of San Ramon Police Chief Denton Carlson. Carlson retweeted her video and asked the pair to reach out. Kim says since then she has been in touch with police to investigate the incident.
Just before 4 p.m. on Sunday, Carlson tweeted a photo of the suspected individual. Carlson says the photo was taken on Christmas morning when the man in the photo exhibited “similar behavior.” The vehicle in the photo is a silver Mustang with Florida license plates, according to police.
Kim tells KRON4 that it was a scary incident, and she’s happy they didn’t get hurt. “My friend and I were a bit shaken after the incident but I’m just grateful we’re both safe and out of harm’s way.”
