A Maryland woman is facing multiple charges after a confrontation caught on video at a Giant grocery store in Alexandria, Virginia went viral online and prompted a police response.
Alexandria Police say 34-year-old Shibritney Colbert, of Landover, was arrested following an incident at the Giant on Duke Street that was recorded on Christmas Day and widely shared on social media.
According to police, the incident began around 3 p.m. on Christmas Day, when Colbert allegedly targeted a 24-year-old man because of his sexual orientation. Investigators said the pair exchanged comments before the encounter escalated into violence.
Video from the scene captured Colbert shoving the victim and another woman in a store aisle, using a shopping cart to strike the victim, and throwing groceries, all while making derogatory remarks about his sexuality. In the footage, the victim can be heard repeatedly asking to be left alone and saying he would call the police, while another woman tries to intervene and urges him to walk away.
When officers arrived shortly after the altercation, Colbert initially fled the scene by vehicle, according to a police news release. She was later identified and taken into custody with the help of multiple law enforcement agencies.
Colbert now faces a range of charges, including assault and battery, destruction of property, driving an unregistered vehicle, and felony eluding. Police also noted that she could face hate crime charges under Alexandria’s newly established policy for identifying and documenting bias-related incidents.
The arrest comes as the Alexandria Police Department is rolling out a new hate crime policy designed to strengthen how bias-motivated incidents are tracked and prosecuted. Officials say the policy will allow better documentation and help provide clarity on how hate-based interactions are investigated in the community.
Colbert’s case remains open, and Alexandria police are continuing their investigation into the incident.
