‘What we march for.’ Video of innocent Black man detained by Virginia cops sparks probe
Police in Virginia say they are conducting a review after officers handcuffed an innocent Black man who was eating with his family at a mall food court over the weekend.
Video that has been viewed thousands of times on social media shows a Virginia Beach police officer handcuff the man, who was identified by WTKR as Jamar Mackey.
Mackey repeatedly asked officers what was happening, and a woman off camera can be heard saying they do not have a black truck that the officers had apparently asked about.
Police Chief Paul Neudigate said officials are “gathering all the facts” to determine what led to the incident Saturday at the Lynnhaven Mall.
“Certainly, anyone would be upset about being detained for something they didn’t do,” Neudigate said in a statement. “While the video shows the officer stayed calm and respectful throughout the brief encounter, we must ensure the situation merits the response.”
The video shows officers escort Mackey from the food court and tell him that he fit the description of a Black man with dreadlocks wearing all black who tried to use a stolen credit card at the mall.
Police released Mackey minutes later after realizing they had the wrong person, the video shows. One of the officers said he gave his “sincere apologies” for the mix-up.
“This is how we get treated in 2020,” Mackey is heard yelling in the video. “This is why we’re fighting. This is what we march for. This is why we say Black lives matter. Black lives matter, this is why we say it.”
Clips of the incident made their rounds on social media, and it was shared by activist Shaun King.
Virginia Beach Councilman Aaron Rouse said he was “frustrated” by the incident.
“I am upset ... for this man who had to endure the embarrassment and indignity of being handcuffed in front of his wife, children and a crowd of shoppers for something that he did not do,” Rouse wrote in a statement posted on Facebook. “I am processing my own thoughts, emotions and I am following this incident as more information is released.”
The video also drew a response from the Virginia Beach NAACP, who criticized “the apparent racial bias on display in the video.” The group said it wants to meet with the city’s police chief.
In a Facebook post, Mackey said he was grateful for those who had reached out to him.
“It was a very traumatic experience for our family that we wouldn’t wish on anyone,” he said of the incident. Now they are “trying to get back that sense of normalcy in our home so we can attempt to enjoy the holidays with our family.”
In a statement, Neudigate said he’s aware of the community’s concerns and said a department review will “determine the propriety of the response in this matter.”
This story was originally published December 21, 2020 at 2:31 PM with the headline "‘What we march for.’ Video of innocent Black man detained by Virginia cops sparks probe."