Photo: Tim Boyle / Getty Images News / Getty Images
A Florida Republican state House candidate and disability advocate is facing growing backlash after a viral video showed him shouting a racial slur at a Black 7-Eleven employee during a confrontation inside the store.
The man in the video has been identified as Michael Lincoln-McCreight, a Republican candidate running for Florida House District 41 and a former member of Orange County’s Disability Advisory Board, according to Orlando's News 6.
The video, posted to TikTok on Jan. 20 by the account @mindofapgl, shows Lincoln-McCreight entering a 7-Eleven as an employee films him. (The January 20 video has since been deleted on TikTok, though clips continue to circulate widely online.) He repeatedly demands that the employee stop recording.
“Delete that right now!” he can be heard yelling while pointing toward the camera.
When the employee refuses, Lincoln-McCreight picks up an object from the counter and again demands the video be deleted. The employee responds, “Hit me if you want to. You don’t want to. You’re not gonna touch me.”
Moments later, Lincoln-McCreight throws the object away, storms out of the store, and shouts a racial slur as he exits. He is then seen returning to the storefront window and pounding on the glass before walking away.
Following the video’s circulation, Orange County officials confirmed they were reviewing the incident. “Orange County is aware of the video, and the County Attorney’s Office is reviewing its content and will advise on next steps,” a county spokesperson said in a statement to News 6.
County officials later confirmed that Lincoln-McCreight resigned from the Disability Advisory Board late Friday (January 23).
Lincoln-McCreight’s background has drawn additional scrutiny in the wake of the video. According to Disability Rights Florida, he was declared legally incapacitated in 2014 due to a developmental disability and placed under guardianship. With legal assistance, that guardianship was later terminated.
“Today, Michael is a Self-Advocate who works with organizations like Stand Up for Independence, Family Care Counsel, and Disability Rights Florida to defend the rights of people with disabilities and promote supported decision-making,” the organization states on its website.
Lincoln-McCreight has not publicly commented on the incident.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.