A gas station worker called 9-1-1 on some kids, claiming they were fighting and trying to steal. That call would change the kids’ lives forever.
As they walked together, they were stopped by a police officer - and what he did next would be traumatic to say the least.
The officer barked at them to put their hands up, and held them at gunpoint as they stood there in fear. He repeatedly warned them he didn’t want to hurt them, but would you trust a cop in that situation? Then a crowd started to form, confronting the officer.
"Please, sir. They kids," one person says. "Why you got a gun out?" another asks. The officer demanded everyone stay back, telling the crowd he had a gun out because it was five against one. He was clearly “against” these children - now he should answer for it!
The family of the kids want the officer fired. They’d been playing with a BB gun, but white children play with plastic guns without this kind of response. The rapper T.I. has even spoken out, asking why we never see stories like this about white kids. We know why!
Studies have shown police tend to see Black kids as less innocent. Incidents like little Black girls getting arrested for tantrums, and Black kids being abused at school by police, show why we can’t trust police to treat Black kids equally.