By Stacy M. Brown
Correspondent
Police officers in Frisco, Texas, mistakenly held a Black family at gunpoint after a typo led them to believe their car was stolen.
The disturbing incident, which took place on July 23, was captured on multiple officers’ body cameras, and has sparked outrage and concern over racial profiling and police procedures.
The emotional footage showed members of the Frisco Police Department demanding the family exit their car.
The family, a husband, wife, son, and nephew, identified themselves, while the boys were identified as 12 and 13 years old.
One officer even pointed his gun at one of the children, eventually handcuffing him.
At one point during the ordeal, the officer who ran the incorrect plates admitted her mistake.
“It looks like I made a mistake. So I ran it ‘AZ’ for Arizona instead of ‘AR,’ and that’s what happened,” she said, according to the footage.
The gravity of the situation hit the husband during the encounter, and he expressed his emotions, saying, “It could’ve gone all wrong for us, though. If I would’ve gone to reach for my phone, we could’ve all gotten killed,” before walking away in tears.
Frisco Police Chief David Shilson issued a statement in which the department admitted its error and vowed to accept responsibility.
“We will not hide from our mistakes. Instead, we will learn from them,” Shilson insisted.
The officer who ran the incorrect plates also admitted her error.
Body camera footage captured the conversation between the officer and the father as they attempted to explain the situation.
The officer told the man, “I ran your tag, and it came back to, associated essentially with no vehicle. So I confirmed it with my dispatch – I’m like, ‘That’s weird.’”
Soon after, the footage appeared to feature another police officer saying in the background, “She ran it out of the wrong state.”
The officer who made the typo said, “AR, AR is Arkansas, correct?”
Another officer responded, “It’s Arizona, though. It’s not Arizona.”
“Oh, I see what you’re saying,” the officer responded. “That’s on me.”
As the father and boy got out of the car, the footage showed an officer explaining the mistake to the young boy, who was crying in the back of the car, saying, “We’re so sorry you had to go through that.”
The video ended with the officer, who made the error, shaking hands with the husband after he calmed down.
The husband told the officer, “It’s all good.”
The department promised a thorough review of the incident and committed to implementing necessary training, policies, and procedures changes to prevent similar occurrences.
Shilson apologized on behalf of the department and emphasized a dedication to holding themselves accountable and ensuring transparency throughout the investigation process.
The incident has again brought concerns about racial profiling and the use of force by law enforcement agencies.
