Black Man Pulls Over Out Of Fear Of Being Stopped & Gets Detained Anyway For “Looking Suspicious”

A Black driver in Hendersonville, North Carolina, pulled over into a parking lot when he noticed a police car following him. He posted the encounter on TikTok, where it went viral with 78,000 likes and 5,000 comments and shares. The driver, known as @CrazyWorldRight, described why he stopped: “It’s easier than having them find a reason to pull me over. It’s just easier to get this out of the way because I’m probably being pulled over for something anyway.” When questioned by the officer, he remarked, “So I’m getting pulled over for pulling over?” and added, “If being suspicious is a crime, I guess I committed a crime.”

The cop explained, “It’s suspicious activity, yeah, man,” and questioned whether the driver typically pulled over when trailed by police. In Part 2 of the video, the cop elaborated that the driver’s move to pull into a closed business’s lot with hazard lights on made him suspicious. “It’s not criminal, but it raises my suspicions enough that I can get out and investigate to ensure criminal activity isn’t taking place,” he said. He also noted, “When actions you took happen in front of law enforcement, it raises our concerns.”

Commenters on the video expressed frustration, highlighting the racial aspect. One person wrote, “This is a case study video of a Black Man trying to explain what it’s like being black in America,” while another said, “WOW!!! This is America people! This psychological mind play… It’s like we’re captured. I’m exhausted.” Another viewer wryly asked, “Is suspicion a misdemeanor or felony?”

While the Fourth Amendment requires police to have “specific and articulable facts” that point to criminal activity, the driver’s race appeared to play a major role in this stop. Despite the officer’s suspicions, the man wasn’t ticketed. In the end, he summed up the experience with, “It’s life, you know.”

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Link: Atlanta Black Star