A black man in a suburban neighborhood in Solon, Ohio was loading groceries into his car when a white woman called the police and told them he was acting funny.
Phillip Evans, 35, was leaving the Salon Giant Eagle supermarket on September 18 when he realized he was being followed and recorded by a white woman pointing her cell phone at him.
“I’m like, is this lady videoing me?” Evans told Cleveland 19 News.
The woman told the 911 operator that a Black man was “looking around” while putting groceries into a “brand-new SUV Infinity” and he was “going real slow,” and “acting real funny.”
Solon police said the woman believed the car was stolen because she couldn’t see a license plate.
The woman also followed Evans as he left the parking lot.
“I look in my rearview and I see the same car behind me. I’m like, ‘OK, does this lady have a problem with me?’” Evans stated.
Evans believed he was racially profiled because he was a Black man driving a nice car.
When the police arrived Evans stated the officer told him to move his license plate to a more visible location. The license plate was located in the back window of the SUV at that time.
Evans said he was thankful that the interaction with the police went well because he knows it could’ve been much worse.
“It’s a scary thought thinking I wasn’t gonna make it home to my kids,” Evans said.
After hearing the woman say “I hope you get him” on the 911 audio call Evans asked, “What does she want them to get me for? She didn’t see me do anything wrong.”
Evans expressed his frustration with being prejudged based on the color of his skin.
Attorney Ben Crump shared the news story via his Twitter account:
Early in the year, New Jersey made it illegal to make a false 911 call based on race, and San Francisco and Grand Rapids, Michigan have proposed similar laws.
We are happy that Phillip Evans made it back home safely to his family because you never know what type of police officer you’re going to encounter these days.
Source: Atlanta Black Star & Black Enterprise
