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Charges: Man Threatens To Kill Co-Worker, Pulls Knife After Fired For Racial Slur

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minneapolis man is charged with threatening a former co-worker with a large knife and also threatening to kill another co-worker and his son after being fired for using a racial slur.

Phillip James Kirk, 29, was charged Wednesday with one count each of second-degree assault, threatening violence and first-degree criminal damage to property, according to the Anoka County Attorney's Office.

The criminal complaint says Kirk admitted using a racially-abusive term to an African-American co-worker, and was immediately fired from a Fridley business.

Investigators say Kirk then destroyed a computer by tossing it at a wall before destroying other items.

He then said he was "going to kill that n----- and slit his son's throat!"

Kirk was removed from the building, but came back minutes later. An employee confronted him before he was able to enter the building, causing Kirk to pull out an eight-inch knife and say, "Now you have to call the cops."

He later admitted the knife threat to investigators.

Kirk is being held at the Anoka County Jail, and could face up to 17 years in prison if convicted of all charges.

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