Last week, when West Ward residents learned that a local Six 10 Convenience store employee allegedly bludgeoned a resident he believed was stealing, it sparked fresh debate over a familiar problem: The fragile relationship between non-black shopkeepers and their largely black clientele in some Trenton neighborhoods.
A video shared on Facebook December 8th by El Roy Clark highlighted the worst case: In it a man stands outside the Beakes Street shop with a bloodied face, appearing dazed as he nods to confirm Clark’s assertion that “this Indian dude busted my man in the head with a bat. . . .” While still videotaping, Clark prompts “somebody needs to come do something about this.”
The next day, Trenton police arrested 26-year-old Six 10 employee Animol Sethi for aggravated assault. By December 17th, the shopowner, who identified himself only as Ricky, said he had fired Sethi; and the victim, a man known locally as Kenny, had been treated and released from Capitol Health Regional Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries. (At press time, he could not be reached for comment.)…