Woman Goes on Anti-Immigrant Rant in Aldi, Pulls Gun on Shopper

by Kevin Deutsch September 28, 2022

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Woman Goes on Anti-Immigrant Rant in Tamarac Aldi's, Pulls Gun on Shopper

Darlene Neel {BSO}

By Kevin Deutsch

A woman went on an anti-immigrant rant against a fellow shopper and pulled a gun while threatening to “blow her head off,” then attacked her with her Lexus in the store parking lot, court records show.

Darlene Neel, 53, of Pompano Beach, was shopping with an older woman, presumably her mother, in the Tamarac location of Aldi at 7050 N. University Dr. on Apr. 23 when she began cursing at the victim around 5:20 p.m., telling the woman she needed to move her shopping cart, according to an arrest affidavit.

“[Neel] stated that people come to this country and do not know how to drive, telling [the victim] she needs to be on the left lane of the shopping aisle,” the affidavit states. “[The victim] stated that the female continued being verbally aggressive, calling her a b—h, f—–g a—–e, a lesbian, and so on.”

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the victim said she did not argue with Neel, went on shopping, and waited for Neel and the woman she was with to check out.

Thinking Neel was gone, the victim checked out and walked to the parking lot. There, Neel confronted her and “demanded that she apologize to her mother,” according to the affidavit.

The victim told BSO she again ignored Neel and walked to her car. Neel then got into her Lexus sedan and used it to block the victim’s car, records state.

“I’m going to come here every day and stalk you, and next time I see you…I am going to blow your head…,” she said while pointing a black gun at the victim, the affidavit alleges.

“I’m not leaving, and I am going to blow your head off,” Neel added, according to the records.

The victim said she managed to steer her vehicle out of the parking spot, but Neel pursued her and blocked her in again, according to BSO.

The victim reversed to get away, but Neel followed her back to her home in a gated community in Lauderhill, which Neel could not enter, the affidavit states.

Investigators later retrieved purchase records and surveillance video from the Aldi. They used both to identify Neel and subpoena her bank records, leading to her identification as the attacker, according to BSO.

The victim initially identified a different woman in a photo lineup presented to her by BSO, but she later identified Neel as her attacker, records show.

Neel was arrested on Sept. 15 and booked into the Broward County Main Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.

Records show she was released on a $2,500 bond and has pleaded not guilty.

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Author Profile

Kevin Deutsch

Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning journalist and author of two nonfiction books. He covers general assignment news and Jewish community issues for Talk Media. He has also worked as a staff writer at The Miami Times, the Rio Grande SUN, the New York Daily News, Newsday, The Miami Herald, The Palm Beach Post, The Riverdale Press, and Bronx Justice News.