Man threatened with knife for speaking Spanish at gas station

A man who was speaking Spanish was threatened by another man armed with a knife on Sunday at an Okatie gas station, according to a Beaufort County sheriff's report.

The 39-year-old Hispanic man was speaking Spanish to a friend inside Enmark, 101 Commerce Place West, when another customer criticized him, then pulled a knife after they left the store, authorities said.

Inside the convenience store at 7:45 p.m., the man reportedly said, "Speak in English. You are in the United States." He then left and got into a "little blue car" in the parking lot, the report said.

When the Hispanic man left the store, the suspect got out of his car and yelled that he had a knife and was going to cut him, according to the report. He removed the pocket knife from his back pocket, opened the blade and started waving it at the Hispanic man, a witness told deputies.

The would-be attacker then got into his car and left.

The victim declined to press charges, the report said, and did not wish to provide a written statement.