Man in Viral Twisted Tea Video Sheds More Light on Incident: 'I Just Reacted'

An Ohio man who has become known as "TeaKO" is shedding more light on that viral Twisted Tea video.

Barry Allen gained national attention this month for the way he handled a belligerent white man at a Circle K in Ohio. Cellphone footage shows Allen, a Black man, confronting the white man over his repeated use of the n-word. The exchange becomes increasingly tense, with Allen eventually using a can of Twisted Tea to smack the man off his feet—hence the "TeaKO" nickname.

Allen discussed the viral incident during a recent appearance on Mark One Sports, recalling the events that led up to the insane smacking. He claims he had saw the white man standing with some other men as he kept calling two Black employees the n-word. Allen said he initially ignored it, and hoped the white man would leave the store before he was ready to pay.

"I’m like, all right. Let’s just hope he leaves by the time I get up there ..." he said. "And he’s still there, still saying the word like he was just a normal Black guy having fun with all his buddies, just chilling. And you could tell by [the employees'] faces they wasn’t really feeling it, but they can’t say nothing ’cause that’ll put their job on the line. Me, I didn’t feel that way."

Allen said he then told the white man to cut it out, which apparently triggered him.

"He’s like, 'Man, I say n***er whenever I want. Leave me alone,'" Allen continued. "... I’m like, 'C’mon, stop saying the fucking word. You’re really pissing me off now.'"

Allen said the man then started putting on a "tough guy" act and wouldn't stop shouting. But there was one particular moment that caused the heated exchange to go from verbal to physical: When Allen accidentally dropped his can of Twisted Tea.

"That’s when I pick it up and he goes to kick it. He really didn’t kick me, but I felt the kick coming. So I just reacted at that point," he explained.

Allen said the man had left by the time he was done paying, and said he was initially concerned about the legal repercussions; however, the white man reportedly declined to press charges.

The video was recorded by another customer who posted it online immediately after. Allen said the woman behind the camera gave him a high-five before he left, got in his car, and called his wife.

"By the time I got in the car and started moving and backed out and got on the road, I'm telling my wife, 'I hit a guy in the face with a can,'" he recalled. "She's like, 'I know. I'm watching it.' The lady had 5,000 views by the time I drove two blocks home."

You can check out Allen's full interview above.