Albany

A supporter of presidential candidate Donald Trump is accused of threatening to beat a black woman and calling her racial slurs after being kicked out of a grocery store Monday night, Albany police spokesman Steve Smith said.

Officers responded to a 911 call at a ShopRite on Central Avenue at about 8:20 p.m.

Smith said Todd M. Warnken, a 55-year-old white man from Albany yelled, "Trump is going to win and if you don't like it I'm going to beat your ass," punctuating the sentence with a racial slur.

"I didn't do anything to this man and I didn't even know him," victim Sharavia Moore said. "I've never been called that word in my life."

Warnken was escorted out of the store by staff members after "being disruptive inside," Smith said.

Moore said the store manager told her Warnken was removed from the store after an incident in the express lane. Warnken allegedly told two Hispanic customers with more than 20 items to get out of line and grabbed their groceries when they didn't leave, Moore said. When the cashier asked him to stop, Warnken called her "colored," Moore said.

The 27-year-old Albany resident said she was standing outside the store alone, waiting for a cab with her groceries, when Warnken walked out cursing and screaming, followed by store employees.

"He yelled, 'You (racial slur) had your time. Your eight years are up.' That's when he looked and pointed at me," Moore said. "The assistant manager got in front of me and got him to move along."

"Everyone has the right to support who they want to support," Moore said. She said she worried about how Trump's racially charged campaign would affect her community.

"I was hurt, I was saddened, I was slightly angry. I was surprised this type of thing was happening in my town," Moore said. "It made me feel unsafe. I didn't know if this guy would hit me or throw something. I was shaking. I was alone. I'm safe now but it's a feeling that is going to take time to go away."

Officers responding to the scene interviewed Moore and bystanders who had gathered during the incident, Smith said. Warnken was arrested a short distance away from ShopRite, Smith said.

Warnken returned a phone call and declined to comment.

Warnken is charged with misdemeanor aggravated harassment and was arraigned in Albany City Court Tuesday. He was released on a reappearance ticket and is scheduled to appear on Oct. 18.

City Judge William Carter signed an order of protection during the arraignment.

emasters@timesunion.com • 518-454-5467 • @emilysmasters