The owners of Baltimore’s Sports Mart in Mondawmin Mall released surveillance video of ‘hundreds’ of looters rampaging through the family-owned business Monday night.
The video shows Black men and women pouring in to the store and stealing everything in sight. The owners of the store are white.
There are reports that non-Black-owned stores were targeted for looting by the Baltimore rioters.
WJZ-TV in Baltimore aired the footage and interviewed the owners. They said the store was cleaned out–including the safe which was found in the street a block-and-half-away.
WJZ reporter Amy Yensi said the store’s eleven employees have been laid off and will likely lose their jobs as the store probably will not open. The owners expressed their feelings of betrayal by the community they served for thirty-five years:
“We have a webcam and it showed hundreds of people in here. It was like Macy’s Day Parade,” said Harvey Levy, Sports Mart president.
…“Leaving the 35-year-old family-owned business in shambles and a feeling of distrust for its owners.
““We’re a community-based store, and the community took care of us last night. They wiped us out,” said Brian Levy.
“Piles of empty boxes and sneakers without pairs line the sprawling stock room.
““This isn’t protesting. There’s just no excuse for this.”
“No excuse to quell the fears or make rebuilding easier.
“Eleven people work at that store and are now out of a job. The owner says he’s not sure if he’ll even reopen.”
