Man accused of assault, shouting ‘racially offensive language’ in Halifax Costco has been charged

Halifax police are investigating an alleged assault and racist rant by a man at a Costco.

A 37-year-old man has been arrested and charged after an investigation into an alleged “hate-motivated incident” at a Halifax Costco last Saturday.

Videos circulated online of the man allegedly attacking a customer and shouting “racially offensive language.”

Halifax Regional Police responded to the Costco on Chain Lake Drive around 1 p.m. on July 4. They learned a man had yelled at a family and assaulted another customer while continuing to shout.

On Tuesday, police issued photos of the man in the video and asked for the public’s help in identifying him.

Police say he was arrested at a residence in Port Dufferin, N.S., Thursday at around 3 p.m. During the arrest, the man allegedly brandished a weapon and officers used a taser on him.

He was treated on the scene by EHS and medically cleared.

Randall Byron Publicover is scheduled to appear in Halifax provincial court Friday to face charges of:

• public incitement of hatred
• assault
• four counts of uttering threats to cause bodily harm or death
• two counts of mischief
• resisting a peace officer
• possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace

Police say the investigation is ongoing.

A representative for Costco previously told CTV News the man would be banned from all Costco stores once he was identified.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) released a statement on Friday thanking Halifax Police apprehending the man.

“We are relieved to see that an arrest has been made with regards to the Islamophobic threats made in Halifax recently, inside a Costco store,” the NCCM writes in a post.

“This cannot be the new normal. We call on all leaders to help construct a new Islamophobia national strategy.”

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