Additional allegations against Mount Laurel man in viral video to be investigated
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. - Authorities in Burlington County, New Jersey say they will be launching additional investigations into further allegations against a man who is facing bias intimidation charges after video of his racist rant surfaced on social media.
In a press release issued Thursday, the Burlington County Prosecutor's office announced it would be launching an independent investigation into any and all incidents involving Edward Mathews in Mount Laurel.
Mathews, 45, remained behind bars Wednesday, as he awaits a preliminary hearing later this week on charges stemming from a now-viral encounter with neighbors that occurred last Friday.
"First and foremost we want to thank the community for their involvement and advocacy in shining a bright light on this individual's menacing interactions within the Mount Laurel Community. The video footage that was provided was critical to the Prosecutor's Office being able to file additional charges of bias intimidation and harassment against Mr. Mathews," began the statement from the prosecutor's office.
"That being said, we fully understand the community's frustration and anger as to what was witnessed in that video. We have heard from many residents that the behavior depicted by Mathews was not an isolated incident, but rather a pattern of racial intimidation and hostility. Therefore the Prosecutor's Office is announcing that it will launch an independent investigation into any and all incidents involving Mathews in Mount Laurel," the statement went on.
Last Friday's encounter was caught on tape, and Mathews can be heard hurling racial slurs at neighbors during a six-minute rant.
When police showed up, Mathew's behavior continued as he then directed some of his anger at the officers who were called to the scene.
A warrant dated Monday and other charging documents show at least two neighbors called police to report Mathews on Friday for harassing them in the neighborhood.
A Black woman in the neighborhood called police on Friday saying Mathews was harassing her, approaching her front door and shouting racial slurs, according to prosecutors. She had previously told police she suspected Mathews of "criminal mischief" involving her car.
A doorbell camera captures Mathews bringing his dogs to her front yard, repeating a racial slur and thrusting his hips in a vulgar way after police responded and talked to him, prosecutors said.
Police then received a second call from a nearby address and found Mathews using racial slurs to address four people, which appears to be the interaction caught on video that drew widespread attention online.
Edward Mathews, 45, is expected to remain behind bars until his preliminary hearing at the end of the week after he was seen on video hurling racial slurs at neighbors and allegedly spitting on one of them. (Burlington County Prosecutor's Office)
That confrontation happened after Mathews knocked on a neighbor's door demanding to see her husband, who is Black, and attempted to enter her home, prosecutors said. The woman, who is white, called police and another neighbor came over to find Mathews in the walkway.
Mathews was initially charged with harassment and bias intimidation but was not arrested. On Monday, protesters gathered outside of his home for many hours. He apologized in a video filmed by a protester and posted online.
Police arrested Mathews Monday evening, claiming new video evidence had come to light that showed him spitting on the victim.
Since then, the town's mayor has called for a federal hate crime investigation into the incident.
Anyone with additional information about incidents allegedly involving Mathews that they would like to share for the ongoing investigation are asked to email tips@co.burlington.nj.us.
The department says they will also be investigating the circumstances of the Mount Laurel Police Department's handling of the incident they were called to Friday night.
___
MORE HEADLINES:
NJ mayor calls for federal hate crime investigation after viral racist rant
Mount Laurel man to remain in custody until preliminary hearing after viral racist rant
Mount Laurel man seen in video hurling racial slurs taken into custody after day-long protest
Philadelphia Police respond to 4 homicides, numerous shootings within hours on July 4th
'Disgusted': Kenney reacts after group with white supremacist ties marches through Philadelphia
___
DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP
SUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTube
FOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
___
The Associated Press contributed to this report.