BUFFALO, NY - After a South Buffalo man's truck was spray painted with racist graffiti, a local auto body shop stepped in. The collision shop actually removed the spray paint free of charge.
2 On Your Side has blurred the racist graffiti, which includes theWhat N-word. The repair shop that removed the paint, Collision Masters, says all their employees and the victim were shocked by what they saw.
Profanity, including the N-word, was spray painted in orange several times on the truck. The owner of the vehicle, Henry King, of South Buffalo, filed a police report late last week reporting the incident. Since then, Buffalo Police have been investigating to find the person or people responsible.
At Collision Masters on Pearl Street in Buffalo, the owner, Frank Todaro says the vandalized truck was brought to them Tuesday by King.
"As soon as he pulled it in, literally the shop completely came to a halt, I looked at it and shook my head looked right at him and I says you are not leaving until I get rid of that for you," Todaro said.
Todaro says eight of his employees went to work on the truck, removing the spray paint.
REPORTER: What was it like working on that vehicle yesterday?
"My initial reaction was complete shock," said Michael Nash, the shop's lead painter, "I was concerned about the image of Buffalo itself, I don't think there's any place for that, my main concern was taking care of the guy, making sure he's OK."
After a half hour, the paint was off.
For a job that would normally cost $700, Todaro says he let the job go for free.
"He was very thankful for it," Todaro said.
Todaro went to Facebook saying Buffalo won't stand for racism.
"We're all brothers and sisters we all need to get along," he said, "we are the city of good neighbors."
Buffalo Police continue to investigate the incident. They urge anyone with information to call the Buffalo Police A District headquarters at 851-4415.
