A routine walk on the beach turned into a scary confrontation in Milford. Police say a city employee was arrested last week after threatening and yelling racial slurs at a man.
“Sam,” who asked us not to use his real name, has lived in Milford for more than 30 years. The beach is his sanctuary.
“After a long day of work, you come here,” he said.
The daily walks along Walnut Beach give peace of mind.
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“The scenery. It’s quiet and nice. Fresh air. Where are you going to find that, right?,” "Sam" said
“Clears your head. It’s good for body. It’s good for everything,” he said.
But something changed last Wednesday. He said a city employee watching the parking lot entrance tried making small talk as he walked.
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"Sam" said the conversation was friendly until…
“Right away when he heard my accent, he started to throw his mouth with racial slurs,” he said.
“Sam” said he was shocked to hear slurs targeting his Arab ethnicity. He said he tried walking away.
“He came at me, and he bumped his stomach at me and was very close,” he said.
“Sam” said that’s when he deployed mace, fearing for his safety and called Milford police.
Officers say 55-year-old Patrick Secchiaroli of Milford was arrested, facing charges including breach of peace and intimidation based on bigotry and bias. They say Secchiaroli was intoxicated at the time.
“The way they responded. The way they took action. It was nice and I really appreciated that,” “Sam” said.
The Milford recreation department confirmed Secchiaroli was an employee on-duty that day and was fired the day after his arrest.
The department director said the city does not condone racism and other hateful behavior. “Sam” praised the city’s response, saying officials apologized for what happened.
“I feel lucky. I feel honored to live in Milford,” he said.
“Sam” has this message for everyone:
“Whether you are an Arab American like me, an African-American, or whatever you are, we are a part of this nation," he said.
