Aug. 12 2023, Revealed 1:45 p.m. ET
A younger Black youngster was mistaken for a automobile theft suspect, handcuffed, and brought into police custody this week, RadarOnline.com has discovered.
The incident occurred on Thursday when Tashawn Bernard, 12, was taking out the trash outdoors his Lansing, Michigan residence.
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The stunning incident was captured on video by a close-by witness and the footage of the incident confirmed not less than 4 white officers as they descended on the scene.
The boy’s father, Michael Bernard, is also seen berating the officers for traumatizing his 12-year-old son.
“You at all times use that excuse man,” Tashawn’s father informed the responding officers. “It would not matter – when you’re Black you match any description, backside line.”
“All these cops for a teenage child,” one bystander may very well be overheard saying within the video. “Some flawed s—.”
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In response to officers, Tashawn matched the outline of a suspect carrying neon inexperienced shorts and a white shirt.
Nevertheless, the household’s lawyer disputed this declare and revealed that Tashawn was really carrying a gray shirt.
The video of the arrest rapidly went viral and garnered over 3.5 million views in below a day after it was posted on the favored social media platform TikTok.
The footage began with Tashawn already positioned in handcuffs simply moments after he had dumped his trash in a big blue dumpster.
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The responding officers tried to justify Tashawn’s arrest to his enraged father. Backup officers arrived on the scene shortly thereafter accompanied by not less than three further police SUVs.
The Bernard household has since expressed outrage over the incident and they’re reportedly contemplating authorized motion.
Their legal professionals, Ayanna and Rico Neal, acknowledged that they’re exploring all authorized choices – together with the opportunity of submitting a lawsuit. Additionally they claimed that they haven’t acquired any further info from the police apart from what they’ve seen on social media.
The Lansing Police Division confronted a wave of backlash following the incident.
Many customers who seen the video criticized the division’s public statements, which had been supposed to clarify the circumstances of the arrest.
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A Fb put up was significantly controversial, because it included two photographs evaluating Tashawn aspect by aspect with the precise suspect. On-line commenters identified that the suspect seemed to be a lot bigger than the 12-year-old boy.
In the meantime, Lansing Police Chief Ellery Sosebee tried to justify Tashawn’s controversial arrest in a assertion launched on Friday.
“Yesterday officers detained a younger man who was carrying related clothes and in the identical house complicated as an accused automobile thief who fled from officers on foot,” Chief Sosebee defined.
“When the officer made preliminary contact, it was close to a trash bin however was after he had disposed of any rubbish,” the assertion continued. “The younger man was then launched to his father when eradicated because the accused.”
“The command officer on the scene made contact with the younger man’s father and defined the scenario and apologized for the misunderstanding,” the police chief defined additional. “I’ve reviewed the incident and may verify the officer who contacted and detained the younger man was respectful {and professional} throughout his investigation.”
“It’s unlucky that incidents like this happen however via communication and sharing of knowledge, we may help folks perceive the entire story.”