Cops pepper spray black teen inside his white foster family's home after assuming he was a burglar

What a sad story.

I don't blame the black man as he was in his own home, and I don't blame the cops, as they were just responding to a suspected burglary.

I blame the person that called the cops in the first place for not knowing who his neighbors were.

The dude had been living in the home for almost a year and they didn't notice him once in a while? Sounds like they need to turn off American Idol and step outside more often.

I can't really blame the cops on this one but what the hell is wrong with that neighbor?

Their house is obviously close enough that they could see somebody going in through the side door. The kid has been living there for a year and they just now noticed? I'm sure he hasn't stayed inside the house for the past year and has probably gone to that same side door hundreds of times.

I suspect those neighbors had something in mind other than just reporting a burglary.

Sounds like the neighbor should be brought up on charges...like he didn't know he lived there??

This story instantly reminded me of this....



...there is often much truth in comedy.

a reply to: LDragonFire

That's just crazy. What law did the neighbor break? The neighbor probably had no clue. People are way deep into their own bubbles these days. Even if the neighbor did know it's just a sign of the times. Racism is just way too rampant.

The cops though shouldn't be attacking someone without investigating a bit. They should be able to figure things out without confrontation. Cops only investigate crime on TV now.

originally posted by: Domo1
a reply to: Boeing777

Just can't believe this.

It's a crappy situation and I'm sorry it happened but it's pretty understandable.

A bad time to argue with the cops is when they suspect you of burglary.

A bad time to pepper spray a child is when they are in their own home and have done nothing wrong except challange your misplaced pride and perceived authority.

a reply to: Boeing777

Appalling, look's like someone forgot to teach these people the concept of innocent until proven guilty, the kid is lucky they did not shoot him.

It's innocent until proven guilty IN A COURT OF LAW. The police have to respond and investigate first. Investigating means arriving and figuring out what it going on.

If they were responding to a potential burglary, because a NEIGHBOR called and believed the kid did not live there, that means clearing the house and detaining those inside until you can verify if they live there.

It could have been very simple. The police show up and maybe enter your house. A reasonable person is going to follow the officer's instructions first to ensure everyone's safety. A reasonable person would then explain what is going on once the police get to the point where they ask questions.

A reasonable person is not going to start arguing with the police, refusing commands and resisting detention.

a reply to: tavi45

More proof that just being black is a crime in and if itself.

Get real.

All this shows is that when you are confronted by the police, you may not know all the circumstances surrounding why they are talking to you.

This could have turned out two ways.

The way it did...

and...

The guy could have acted reasonably and the situation would have been resolved more quickly and peacefully.

a reply to: Sremmos80

But you are in your own home...
I wouldn't want to be bothered by the cops in my home either, silly things called rights and all

Ok, lets put you in this situation.

A neighbor sees you entering your home but does not recognize you for whatever reason. That neighbor calls the police and reports a possible burglary.

The police arrive and find an unlocked door where you entered.

The police open the door and you hear them announcing they are the police and they yell for anyone inside to come out with their hands up.

What are you going to do?

A reasonable person would follow the officer's instructions first. Then, when they question you, you would easily prove you live there and it would be over.

Obviously, this guy did not choose wisely.

And there is no violation of rights.

The police had reasonable suspicion that a burglary was occurring. The police probably found an unlocked or open door. The courts have ruled that the police are allowed to do a protective sweep of the residence to see if anyone is inside. The police were well within their rights to enter the house.

a reply to: areyouserious2010

They also have rights to attack you in your own home? Sorry bad argument. I'd be argumentative. I accept it when I'm pulled over but I'm supposed to be safe in my own home. They have data on everything. They couldn't check their databases? Violence is way too readily employed these days.

originally posted by: LDragonFire
Sounds like the neighbor should be brought up on charges...like he didn't know he lived there??

Yes, a concerned neighbor calls the police because he doesn't recognize someone entering his neighbors home and he should be brought up on charges. What charges?

If you could prove he called out of malice or something then maybe. As it stands, it just sounds like he was trying to do the right thing.

a reply to: Helious

I thought 18 year olds were adults. I admit I waver on that issue though.

I have no idea how far the situation escalated. Again, crappy situation for all involved.

a reply to: RockerDom

Right, it's naturally racist cops fault. It's not like the entire black culture has become one of gang violence and the thug life. No, it has to be because "racism". It's not like the majority of violent crimes are committed by blacks. Oh no, that too must be "racism".

Sheesh, ATS has some of the most inane PC koolaide posters who abandon common sense at the whim of a minority.

a reply to: wildapache

A handicap and a crime altogether....not playing the race card but i wonder if they would have call the cops if it was a white teen...or if the cops would have pepper sprayed the kid had he not been black....

The police pepper sprayed the guy because, at the time they did it, he could have been a burglar who was not following their directions and arguing with them.

I think if the kid would have been white, this story would not have made the news.

a reply to: Cuervo

We all know better than to drive while black but... now you can't even live in your house while black?!

Again, get real.

Like someone said above, the police weren't driving past and saw a black guy going into a house and decided "he must be breaking into that house because he is black."

The neighbor called because they did not recognize him.

The police responded how any reasonable person would expect them to. The guy was pepper sprayed because he acted unreasonably when confronted by the police.

a reply to: WeRpeons

This incident clearly shows how blacks are stereotyped in both the white community and among the police.

No it doesn't.

The only person who has any fault for the way this turned out is the guy who was pepper sprayed.

The neighbor made a mistake but if my neighbor saw someone entering my house who they were unfamiliar with, regardless of race, I would hope they would call the police.

It sounds like you are arguing that if a neighbor sees someone of a different race breaking into my house, they should not call the police or even find it suspicious because if they do they are racist.

Again, this could have been resolved to everyone's liking if the guy would have simply followed instructions and not have become argumentative.

a reply to: Grimpachi

Story is teen in own home says something cops don't like so for their safety they needed to pepper spray him.

It has nothing to do with whether the cops liked or disliked what the guy was saying.

The fact is, a neighbor called and said a person, whom they did not recognize as living there, walked into their neighbor's house.

The police show up and, most likely, find a door unlocked. The police have every right to enter the house and investigate.

Investigate means if they find someone inside, and it cannot immediately be determined that the person lives there, that person is detained until it can be proved or disproved that the person does live there.

a reply to: tavi45

As has been shown time and again the biggest predictor for police brutality is in any way questioning their authority. If you do anything besides be utterly subservient or if you mention your rights or the constitution you will be attacked, harassed or arrested.

What you have to realize is that there is a time and a place for questioning the police. Especially if you have done nothing wrong.

If a police officer is telling you to put your hands up, get on the ground or otherwise submit to detention, the reasonable thing to do is to follow the instructions of the officer. In a perceived dangerous or fluid situation, the police do not have time to spell out exactly why they are contacting you or what specific facts they have to detain you.

Once you have been peaceably detained, the police will explain what is going on and/or ask you questions. This is the correct time, if you have REALLY done nothing wrong, to start explaining your position and maybe ask a few questions of your own.

In a perceived dangerous or fluid situation, argument or resistance will only be met with an amount of force to make a detention.

You have no rights or power and the cops can do what they please. Don't stand up for yourself. They'll take you down caveman style.

That is not true at all.

Better advice would be to be a reasonable person and don't resist because that is a no win situation. I mean, honestly, how many times have you heard of someone arguing with the police or resisting arrest and winning? Allow the contact with the police to end and if you feel your rights have been violated contact an attorney and make a formal complaint against the officer.

The attorney can bring a civil suit against the department.

a reply to: Helious

A bad time to pepper spray a child is when they are in their own home and have done nothing wrong except challange your misplaced pride and perceived authority.

First, he's not a child he is a man at 18 years old.

Second, the police did not have "perceived authority," they had the actual authority to enter the house and investigate.

a reply to: tavi45

They also have rights to attack you in your own home? Sorry bad argument.

They did not attack him in his own home. They entered and, upon finding the person the neighbor called about inside the home, attempted to detain the man.

They couldn't check their databases? Violence is way too readily employed these days.

You are assuming the police have a database that accurately shows every resident of every house. They do not. Even with the extensive information the police do have access to, the only way to verify he did live there is to cautiously make contact with him, because you do not know if he is a burglar or the resident of the house, and question him.

The police did not enter the house with the intent to do violence upon him. The use of force happened because when they attempted to detain him, he resisted.