Reply #12: This article says he ended up buying from Target.... [View All]

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/936210591.html?MAC=fc5b8342c4c3c4d29339098dd8764c39&did=936210591&FMT=FT&FMTS=FT&date=Dec+2%2C+2005&author=MARK+ALBRIGHT&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&printformat=&desc=Racial+profiling+feared+at+Wal-Mart



GAF Materials Corp. is handing out gift cards from Target as a reward to select employees this holiday season. That's because Wal- Mart, the discount store that held the business for years, last week called sheriff's deputies to apprehend a GAF manager on a bogus bad check rap while he was trying to buy this year's gift card supply.

"I keep going over and over the incident in my mind," said Reginald Pitts, the 34-year-old human resources manager for the roof material manufacturer's Tampa distribution center. "I cannot come up with any possible reason why I was treated like this except that I am black."

Wal-Mart has launched its own internal investigation of the incident, which store officials concede upfront "was handled very poorly."

"We've apologized to Mr. Pitts and are trying to find out exactly what happened so it does not happen again," said Sharon Weber, spokeswoman for the chain, based in Bentonville, Ark. "We do not tolerate racial discrimination or racial profiling at Wal-Mart."