Justice for ‘Target Tori’ After Reporter Trolls Store Manager on Twitter

While Twitter can be blamed for a lot of horrible things, it can also be the bright light which makes the world a better place. On Friday, when journalist David Leavitt, who has a history of being an Internet troll, tried to publically shame a Target store manager Tori Perrotti for not honoring the misplaced price tag on an Oral-B toothbrush, online users wanted justice.

Leavitt, whose Twitter bio states he’s an “award-winning multi-media journalist” who’s written for CBS, AXS, and Yahoo, then decided to take her picture, and share it to his 213K followers on Twitter along with a complaint thread. He wrote, “This @target manager Tori is not honoring the price of their items per Massachusetts law,” and “just had to call the police because @target refused to sell me the toothbrush.”

To summarize, Leavitt called the police on Tori for not selling him a toothbrush for a penny and then threatened to take Target to court over the matter.

Leavitt tweeted, “I did not call 911. I called the business number for the police and told them it was not an emergency and they could take their time and explained the situation. The police verified @target displayed the price of the toothbrush for $0.01 — The store manager Tori refused to sell me the toothbrush for displayed price. The police said I need to sue them and that they are making me a verified report take to court.”

“Corporations like @target are not above the law. The police officer told me they’d testify that they saw the price and that the manager wouldn’t sell me the item for the price listed,” Leavitt tweeted. “I have not been able to afford to go to a dentist in over three years. So yes I wanted a good toothbrush and was thrilled to see such an amazing prize on an @OralB but @target refused to honor it and now I have to take them to court.”

The response to Leavitt’s tweets was not kind. Online users felt bad for Tori, who was merely doing her job and tweeted #TeamTori to show their support.

One user tweeted that Leavitt didn’t read the law carefully enough tweeting, “According to the Code of Massachusetts Regulations 940 3.13(f), Target does not have to honor the listed price if it is the result of a “gross error.” So, you probably shamed Tori over the fact that she did her job correctly. #TeamTori”

Brianna Wu, who’s running to represent Massachusettes District 8 in the US House of Representatives tweeted, “It’s unbelievably embarrassing to see a Massachusetts journalist call the cops on a woman who wouldn’t sell him a $90 toothbrush for $0.01. Embarrassing to him, embarrassing to the publications that hire him. Embarrassing to everyone EXCEPT TORI.”

A GoFundMe Account Was Set Up For ‘Target Tori’ Which Raised Over $23K In One Day

While journalist Jennifer Wright tweeted, “.@Target Manager Tori, let me know your Venmo and I’ll buy you a drink,” another user who guys by the handle Carpe Donktum, set up a GoFundeMe account in her honor.

Within three hours, the fundraiser earned well over the initial goal of $5K. With the goal of sending Tori on a much-needed vacation after Leavitt blasted her on Twitter for not selling her a toothbrush for a penny, the GoFundMe raised over $12K by the end of the night. To donate, click here.

Tori Perrotti

On Saturday, Carpe Dunktum was able to contact Tori Perrotti and ensure to those who donated that she would be the sole recipient of the raised funds. Target gave her authorization to share two more photos with her online community, and this time with a huge smile on her face.

Anthony Bourdain Called Leavitt A ‘Gaping A**Hole’ After He Joked About The Manchester Bombing

The late Anthony Bourdain was nothing short of a revered public figure, and respected writer, and while he had a reputation of being one of the coolest people on the planet, even he called Leavitt an “ass***.” In a since-deleted tweet from 2017, which was preserved by Nextweb.com Leavitt wrote, “MULTIPLE CONFIRMED FATALITIES at Manchester Arena. The last time I listened to Ariana Grande I almost died too.”

After the backlash poured in online, including Bourdain’s pointed tweet, Leavitt countered by tweeting, “Honestly, for over a year, I thought Ariana Grande was something you ordered at Starbucks.” A few hours later, Leavitt seemed to catch on that so quickly joking about a horrific event which left 23 people dead was in ill taste. He tweeted, “too soon?” and then finally apologized. “Sorry for offending. Didn’t realize the magnitude of the tragedy. I always make stupid jokes about whatevers trending. Condolences 2 families.”

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