CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A man has been indicted for three civil rights offenses over biased threats made last June at a local pizza place, Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, announced.
Maurice Gabriel Hopkins, 31, of Mount Holly, is accused of threatening eight people at Zambies Pizza on North Davison Street because of their race, color, religion and national origin for being at the shop. Officials say Hopkins also tried to intimidate patrons from using their federally protected housing rights.
According to arrest warrants, Hopkins went into the store and started making racial comments to a group of Indian patrons. An unnamed person intervened and asked him to leave, to which Hopkins said they would have to call the police to make him leave.
Hopkins said he “had something for them” and was going to “grab his AR,” the warrants say. He then left. When Hopkins came back in a Toyota Corolla, someone outside spotted him with an assault rifle, and the bystander ran to distract Hopkins from going inside. Hopkins then pointed the gun at the person. He said, “No, I’m back for my pizza; now give me my (expletive) pizza” while gesturing with the rifle toward the store.
One witness said Hopkins stood in the doorway, also pointing the gun at him and others at the store. On June 10, officers got a partial plate for the Corolla from a security video. The owner of the car was able to tell police that Hopkins was the one driving it at the time of the crime, and, on June 13, Hopkins was positively identified in a police lineup.
Hopkins was booked into the Mecklenburg County Jail on June 26 for several charges:
- Attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon
- Two counts of assault by pointing a gun
- Going armed to the terror of people
- Two counts of communicating threats
According to jail and court records, the day after his arrest, Hopkins was released after posting a $50,000 secured bond. Several attempts to serve him a subpoena have failed.
On Nov. 21, it was announced that Hopkins was also indicted with three civil rights offenses. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for each of the three indictments if convicted. It is unclear what additional prison time he may face for the other charges.
