ROWLAND HEIGHTS, Calif. — As a girl stood outside of a Rowland Heights, California, Target store to sell sweets, an elderly woman approached her, demanding to see a license.
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"She comes up to the little kid like, 'Where is your license? Have you asked permission to be here?'" shopper Andy Lizarraga told KCBS.
Lizarraga recorded the entire confrontation between the woman and the girl. Since posting it to Facebook last week, the video viral has more than 6 million views and 72,000 shares.
“I showed it to friends and family, not intending it to go viral at all,” she said.
Lizarraga said the older woman was “harassing” the girl. In response, the girl selling candy said she was just “trying to make some money.”
The woman proceeded to yell at the girl and threatened to call the police shortly before another shopper, Jay Lopez, stepped in.
“I’m buying it all!” he said, as shown in the video.
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Lopez offered to purchase all of the candy the girl was selling to not only diffuse the situation but also support a hard worker.
“I’m gonna come out right now and get your cash,” said Lopez, who ended up purchasing $80 worth of candy.
He gave the treats to shoppers passing by, telling the older woman she should “be ashamed” of herself.
“Mind your own business, take care of yourself and your family, and everything else will come together for you,” he said.
Lopez added that if the girl, who was black, had been a white girl selling Girl Scout cookies, the situation probably would have played out differently.
“I’m not putting race into this, but I bet it would’ve been a whole different story.”