Multiracial family threatened with violence in Burlingame in Northern California while wearing 'Black Lives Matter' shirts
BURLINGAME, Calif. -- Police are investigating after a multiracial family wearing "Black Lives Matter" shirts was threatened with violence while eating at a restaurant in Burlingame in Northern California.
"We were just a family trying to have dinner." But before dinner had even started, Anthony Colon said a stranger interrupted.
"He basically banged the table, slammed his hands on the table," said Colon who described how another man who had been eating at the same restaurant approached their table, "looked directly at my son and said 'black lives matter... 'F' black lives. Blue lives matter.'"
Anthony Colon, his wife Ciara Doherty, and their children: Arya, 7, Arlo, 5, and Etta, 2, were having a celebratory dinner at Flights in Burlingame Sunday after their first family protest in San Francisco.
MORE: Attorney charged after allegedly spitting at Black Lives Matter protester
"I don't believe that if we were a white family that he would have come near us," said Doherty.
After walking away, the man, who was seen in surveillance, came back to the family's table a second time.
"He said F you, B. I'll f'ing shoot you," then Colon said he pointed at his family, including his children. "He said 'if I had my gun I would shoot every one of you.'"
"I'm upset that the kids were exposed to that, I'm upset at the effect it's going to have on them. After this, Arlo didn't want to leave the house today because he thinks the guy's going to come back and bring his gun," said Doherty through tears.
"The little girl she was trembling so hard, she didn't want to come out of the bathroom. She was telling her mom, 'I'm scared,'" said Amanda Hermosillo, who was at the restaurant with a group of friends.
MORE: Young boy holds solo protest against racial injustice
They witnessed the incident and saw the man eating and drinking with a large group at the restaurant before he confronted the family.
"He shoved the father," said Hermosillo.
"I heard him say blue lives matter, we're here for you, and I heard the word 'shoot,'" said Madeline Tailes, who lives in Burlingame.
"It looked like he had an agenda to come specifically to that father, that family or something. It might have been because the kids had the black lives matter shirts," said Hermosillo.
Colon and Doherty called police, who took a report at the restaurant.
"He had so much anger in his face and his eyes," said Doherty. "I just hope that he gets arrested, we pressed charges against him, and I hope we get justice from this."
Burlingame police are investigating and have identified a suspect.
MORE: Murals turn Lake Elsinore downtown into art gallery for Black Lives Matter
