A woman in Arizona said a first date took an alarming turn when the man she was with allegedly began making racist remarks in public, then allegedly pushed her into a tree before she found out he lived in her apartment complex.
Elizabeth Thorne, who posts under the username @elizabeththorne_, shared the account in a TikTok video that has been viewed more than 54,100 times and received over 4,700 likes. The video was captioned “DATING IN AZ IS WACK Horror Story #1.”
Thorne said in the video that the date started normally, with the man asking her to meet him at a restaurant, where she found him seated at the bar.
She says date turned uncomfortable after conversation shifted to race
Thorne said in the video that she joined the man at the bar and the two exchanged pleasantries, describing him as “kind of shy” and the mood as “kind of awkward” at first, which she attributed to possible nerves.
@elizabeththorne_ I was literally horrified the whole time, I should have left much earlier, I KNOW #arizona #fyp #storytime #dating
♬ original sound – elizabeththorne_
She said that about 30 minutes into the date, the man “really breaks out of his shell” and began telling her “how he’s racist.” Thorne, who said she is Mexican, said she asked him directly, “Do you know that I’m Mexican?” She said he replied, “You don’t look Mexican, so it’s fine.”
According to Thorne, the man continued making remarks about disliking various groups of people, and she said he was speaking loudly enough that she began looking around to see if others nearby could hear him.
Describing her reaction at the time, she said, “I’m like quiet down a little,” explaining that she was concerned other people in the area were listening. She also said the man appeared to be mixed race, which she said left her confused by his comments, saying, “what do you mean that you’re racist?”
Thorne said the pair then went to a nearby speakeasy. She said in the video that she knew she “should have ended the date” at that point but wanted to see the venue. The two reportedly stayed for about ten minutes, during which she said the man was rude to the bartender and did not leave a tip, so she said she tipped him herself.
Thorne alleged that as they walked back to her car, the man pushed her into a tree surrounded by a concrete border, causing her to stub her toe hard enough that it began bleeding. She said the man laughed in response. When she asked him why he found it funny, she said he replied, “yeah, I thought it was pretty funny.”
Thorne said she decided to end the date and go home. The next day, she said she discovered the man lived in the same apartment complex as her, in the unit next door. She said she continued to see him regularly “for months” until she moved out. This type of incidents are not rare, as seen where a woman goes on Hinge date only to be met with shocking revelations.
Some viewers questioned parts of the story in the comments section. One commenter wrote, “The fact that you stayed after telling him you’re Hispanic is insane.” Another wrote, “This sounds like this didn’t happen🤔”
Other commenters offered sympathy or shared similar frustrations with dating in the area. One wrote, “Stay safe, stay single my friend.” Another commented, “I don’t see myself ever finding my future husband out here. The dating pool is so bad. The boys are weird and just no bueno.” Uncomfortable dating experiences have been shared by others too, like a woman whose date demanded her body count.
Thorne’s video did not specify the man’s identity or provide further details about the alleged incident beyond what was described in the clip.
