A South Carolina barber refused to service a black man who came in for a shave — then pulled a gun on him, police said.
The Rock Hill barber, Larry Thomas, admitted to the Daily News he cast out the black customer, Arthur Hill. But he insisted he wasn’t being racist — claiming he simply doesn’t know how to cut “black hair.”
“I was educated here in 1964, it was very segregated — we weren’t told how to do black hair,” said Thomas, 65, who says he has been a barber for 51 years.
“There’s a preciseness of it — the guys who cut black hair are real artists.”
He said black customers usually refuse his service anyway when they come in and see that he’s white.
“I stick to middle-aged white guys,” Thomas said.
“My business is a white business.”
But Hill, the would-be customer, said he went into Thomas’ shop Tuesday just asking for a simple shave.
“He said, 'I don't do black hair,’” Hill told WCNC.
“I asked him does he shave, can he shave me, and he said, ‘I don't do black hair.’”
Hill said Thomas, within moments, gripped a snub-nosed .38-caliber revolver.
Hill left the shop without further incident, and reported the barber to police.
Thomas was arrested and charged with pointing and presenting a firearm, but he was back at his business after spending one night in jail and posting $3,000 bond.
Thomas said his case will go to trial, and he cannot keep his weapon in the shop until the case is closed.
Police said the hotheaded hair-snipper has been involved in eight similar incidents since 2007, including one in which he used pepper spray on a customer during an argument.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/barber-refuses-black-customer-services-pulls-gun-article-1.2634800