A North Carolina elementary school teacher has been arrested after authorities say she used a racial slur and punched another shopper during a dispute over rotisserie chickens at a Sam’s Club on Valentine’s Day.
Ashley Murff, 42, faces a charge of third-degree assault and battery following the Feb. 14 altercation at a Sam’s Club in Richland County, South Carolina. According to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were dispatched to the store around 1:30 p.m. after receiving reports of an assault inside the warehouse retailer.
Investigators say the confrontation began while customers were standing in line. The alleged victim told deputies that Murff directed a racial slur at her, sparking a verbal argument. The situation escalated when the victim attempted to photograph Murff, at which point Murff allegedly punched her in the face.
Local outlet WACH reported that the argument may have been triggered by a disagreement over rotisserie chickens. According to a friend of the victim, T’Nae Parker, the woman had offered to purchase an extra chicken for an elderly shopper who was unable to stand in line herself. Parker said customers are allowed to buy more than one chicken and described the dispute as unnecessary and shocking.
Parker further alleged that Murff used a racial epithet twice before the physical confrontation occurred. She said her friend has been dealing with both physical and emotional effects since the incident, including headaches and distress from being struck.
By the time deputies arrived at the store, Murff had left the scene. Authorities later reviewed store surveillance footage and identified her as the alleged aggressor. Based on that investigation, a warrant was issued for her arrest. She was taken into custody at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 18.
The sheriff’s department stated that after examining the evidence, investigators determined Murff was the “primary aggressor” in the altercation.
Murff has been employed as a teacher in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district in North Carolina since 2015 and was working at Winget Park Elementary School at the time of the incident. Following her arrest, she was suspended with pay as the investigation continues.
As of Feb. 18, Murff was being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center pending a bond hearing. It was not immediately clear whether she had retained legal representation.
Authorities have not released the name of the alleged victim. The case remains under investigation.
The incident has drawn attention both because of the alleged use of racial language and because Murff is a public school teacher. While law enforcement continues to review the circumstances surrounding the altercation, the episode has raised questions about conduct in public spaces and the consequences that may follow when disputes escalate into violence.
