Cell phone video from Sunday that has since gone viral shows when the teens were detained.
The young men – Malik Aaron, Aaron Frederickson, and Greg Kim – say another group of teens have been shoplifting.
The trio were told they couldn’t leave the store, while other customers did.
Greg says a Target employee approached them and asked if they needed help. When they replied that they didn’t, the employee said to them, “We can’t let you guys hang out.” He said they were stopped by security as they walked to the exit.
They say that at one point an employee of the store blocked the exit with shopping carts.
Some of the teenagers started recording as soon as the delegates arrived.
“Once they saw that I was recording, one of the agents started to get really aggressive towards me and knocked my phone out of my hand,” said Malik Aaron.
“The officer threw me in the car and told me to shut up after throwing me in the car,” said Malik. “And my feet were still hanging out of the car and he had just slammed the door on my feet.”
Target apologized, saying in part:
“… we are deeply sorry for what happened and we have terminated the involved security team. What happened to these guests is diametrically opposed to the inclusive experience we want all our guests to have. Our security team member took action and kept it. guests in violation of Target’s security procedures. “
Target added that all leaders in the store will be resuming mandatory security and racial bias training.
“We were just considered criminals right away,” said Aaron Frederickson.
The families plan to file a civil suit against Target and the sheriff’s department.
The sheriff’s department did not comment.
In this case, the teenagers were not arrested.
According to a 2019 California Department of Justice survey, black children made up 21% of juvenile arrests, but only 5% of the population.
“You know the micro-aggressions are real,” said Malik’s mother La Shaun Aaron. “Our children experience them every day.”
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