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City presses charges against Grand Rapids party store employee

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A violent incident between a Fannie's Corner store clerk and a customer on Grand Rapids’s southeast side has resulted in the city filing charges against the employee.

The employee, Mittermann Singh, allegedly struck customer Sharon Ray over the head with a lead pipe.

But the city’s recent action follows community voices calling for boycott and closure that have been mounting pressure for some time.

"Well we’re saying, 'enough is enough'."

That's Michael Scruggs, chairman of the Kent County Black Caucus.

"We’ve been dealing with various issues throughout the years. And we are in hope that someone will hear our cry in saying, 'this business is a nuisance and have not been good neighbors'."

Store owners could not be reached in time for this report, but Singh was arrested shortly after the incident took place on Oct. 1.

Scruggs says the community has built a coalition of organizations to pressure the business to leave the neighborhood.

"Then we will show the city and others that have some influence that enough is enough, and they can help us get this done."

"And we can get another establishment in that property that can serve our community better than they have."

Mariano Avila is WGVU's inclusion reporter. He has made a career of bringing voices from the margins to those who need to hear them. Over the course of his career, Mariano has written for major papers in English and Spanish, published in magazines, worked in broadcast, and produced short films, commercials, and nonprofit campaigns. He also briefly served at a foreign consulate, organized for international human rights efforts and has done considerable work connecting marginalized people to religious, educational, and nonprofit institutions through the power of story.
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