Nationwide — Thomas Diiorio, a white man from New Jersey, has been arrested after a verbal dispute with his Black female neighbor escalated into harassment and bias intimidation charges in Mount Laurel. Police said video footage of the incident led directly to his arrest.
Police said the confrontation began Monday evening during a dispute involving their children. Officers responded to the neighborhood just after 6 p.m. and separated both residents. At the time, no charges were filed after both sides agreed not to move forward with complaints.
The situation changed after a video surfaced on TikTok the following day, posted by Tia Shirece, according to the Daily Mail. The clip showed Diiorio confronting the woman in the street while she was on the phone. He walked toward her and shouted as the argument escalated.
“Get the f*** out of here! Go! Get in your car!” he was heard yelling in the video.
The footage showed the neighbor stepping back while Diiorio continued shouting. She also called out for others nearby to contact police. The video quickly went viral, gaining more than 100,000 likes and sparking strong reactions online.
The neighbor was identified in reports as Lakisha Spruill. She said the conflict started after her daughter was allegedly bullied by Diiorio’s children, including the use of the phrase “ugly African.” Police records also stated that Diiorio used the phrase “you people” when responding to the complaint.
Following the review of the video and statements, police filed criminal complaints against Diiorio. He was taken into custody and booked into Burlington County Jail.
Residents also pointed to a previous case in 2021 in the same Mount Laurel neighborhood involving racial slurs and threats, which led to arrests and protests at the time. That earlier incident drew attention from state officials and raised concerns about similar disputes in the area.
Diiorio remains in custody and has not entered a plea. Authorities said the investigation is still ongoing as they continue reviewing evidence and witness accounts.