12 August 2023 , 22:07
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Police were forced to apologise after a 12-year-old boy in handcuffs was left traumatised after cops mistakenly arrested him while he was taking the bins out.
Tashawn Bernard was outside his home in Lansing, Michigan, when he was confronted by a police officer with his gun out. The officer mistakenly thought Tashawn's clothes matched that of a thief who had fled on foot earlier that day. An alarmed witness filmed the incident which shows Tashawn's furious father Michael shouting at the officer.
Michael said of the incident: "So, I get concerned when I didn't see him come back within that period of time and I walk out to hear, look out, and to my surprise, the cops had him in handcuffs."
Despite Tashawn being outside his own home, Lansing Police said in a statement the young boy was the victim of a “wrong place, wrong time” incident.
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Tashawn's father was furious (Tiktok)Tashawn was left so upset he "does not want to go outside, even to get the mail," his attorneys said of the incident that sparked a furious backlash online after a video of it reached 3.5million views on TikTok.
"After dumping the trash in the dumpster, he was approached by a police officer who had his gun un-holstered and was holding it in front of him." Ayanna Neal with Grewal Law said.
The attorneys dispute the police version of events that Tashawn was wearing a white shirt and neon green shorts. In the footage, Michael can be heard saying: "You always use that excuse man... It doesn't matter - once you're black you match any description, bottom line."
After Tashawn is led away from his dad, Michael noticed the onlooker filming down the street and directly addresses them on video. "They're traumatising my son..." the concerned dad said. "'All these cops for a teenage kid."
Attorneys said Tashawn was traumatised by the incident (Tiktok)Michael later said: "I was mad about it, because I was like, my son would never break any law. So, I rushed out and asked the cop, what's the problem, why do you have my son in cuffs? just like that."
A statement from Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee said had contacted Michael and "explained the situation and apologised for the misunderstanding".
Chief Sosebee's statement continued: "I have reviewed the incident and can confirm the officer who contacted and detained the young man was respectful and professional during his investigation.
"It’s unfortunate that incidents like this occur but through communication and sharing of information, we can help people understand the whole story. We understand that something like this has an impact on all parties involved.
"As the Chief of Police, I want to apologise that this incident had such an effect on this young man and his family. I’m asking for the community to consider all the facts of the situation before making a judgment. The relationship with our community has been and will continue to be a top priority for the Lansing Police Department."