A Connecticut broker has been arrested after unleashing a racist tirade at a smoothie store.
Police say James Iannazzo, 48, purchased a smoothie at Robeks about 1 p.m. Saturday and returned less than an hour later because his child had an allergic reaction. The child was taken to a local hospital for treatment after Iannazzo called 911.
Iannazzo returned to Robeks and confronted employees, yelling at them and demanding to know who had made the smoothie which contained peanuts, causing his child’s allergic reaction, police say. When they were unable to answer, he started yelling and threw a drink at one employee and questioned her immigration status. Police say he also attempted to open a locked “Employees Only” door to get behind the store’s counter.
Iannazzo was seen calling an employee an “immigrant loser” in a video of the event posted to social media.
He left before officers arrived but later turned himself in. Store employees told police that Iannazzo had only asked that peanut butter be left out of the drink, without mentioning an allergy, according to NBC New York.
He has been charged with intimidation based on bias, breach of peace and criminal trespass. Iannazzo was also fired from a local Merrill Lynch branch where he served as a financial advisor.
“Our company does not tolerate behavior of this kind. We immediately investigated and have taken action,” the company said in a statement. “This individual is no longer employed at our firm.”