Vigil Held For Man Killed In Apparent Road Rage Incident In Belmont

BELMONT (CBS) - More than 100 people gathered to remember 35-year-old Henry Tapia, a father of three killed in an apparent case of road rage in Belmont.

Belmont residents organized the vigil to stand together - and call out racism after authorities said Tapia was called a racial slur before his death.

On Tuesday afternoon, investigators say Tapia and another man now identified as Dean Kapsalis got into an argument on a neighborhood road. Witnesses say Kapsalis yelled a racial slur at Tapia before getting into his truck and running him down. Kapsalis is now facing several charges including a civil rights violation.

Middlesex District Attorney and Belmont resident Marian Ryan said it's a case that has rocked the entire community. "We cannot and we will not tolerate conduct such as what's alleged to have happened here," Ryan said.

Other residents say it's a wakeup call, that this type of violence and hatred can happen in any town.

The police chief said the last murder in Belmont was more than 15 years ago.