Police Detain Black Teen With His White Grandma

This has me furious!!!!

A white grandmother, Paulette Barr, was pulled over by police and her black teen grandson was detained in Wisconsin after what police are calling a "misunderstanding.

Akil Carter was riding in a car with his white grandmother. When Wauwatosa police say they pulled the car over because they got a tip that two black males were robbing a white woman nearby. Police Department cameras reveal police ordering the 18-year-old out of his grandmother's car, as they handcuffed Akil, and ordered him into the back of a squad car after an apparent "false robbery" call. The family is now considering legal action.

A police spokesperson says the officers responded appropriately and released the teen as soon as they realized there was a "misunderstanding."

Ms. Barr had just left church and was driving her grandson to work when police stopped them. The officers claim they initially started following them after an African American man and woman identified the vehicle. They said it was carrying a white woman who was being robbed by two black men. However, police say they never got a formal statement from those witnesses because they left the area. The family's attorney is skeptical about that story.

"It seems strange that for all the dash cam footage the police have turned over, we have not seen anything where the officer is interacting with these people," said Joy Bertrand, Carter's family's attorney.

After Carter was detained, an officer is seen getting out of his patrol car with his gun outside the holster. Officers then approached the teen's grandmother who is screaming, "This is my grandson." Police claim that the teen was handcuffed for about six minutes.

One officer is heard saying "Well, I'm guessing what this sounds like is a really big misunderstanding." 

The family's attorney says even if the police account is accurate, the officers clearly overreacted.


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