A circulating video has stirred discussion online after capturing a heated moment between a man and a police officer who approached him outside an ATM, claiming he matched the description of someone acting suspiciously in the area.
The footage opens with the officer telling the man to stand and hand over identification. The man pushes back immediately, questioning the reason for the stop and insisting he hasn’t done anything to justify being ID’d. The officer responds that the man resembles a person reportedly hanging around the ATM in an unusual way.
The situation shifts when the man asks whether the officer recognizes him. He then mentions that officers from the same precinct have attended Christmas gatherings at his grandfather’s house, suggesting that he’s being treated differently now because he’s dressed casually.
Visibly annoyed, the man keeps asking if the officer’s bodycam is switched on, saying he wants the recording as proof to show “people above” in the department. He accuses the officer of being disrespectful and says he no longer feels obligated to provide his identification.
Only after this does the officer appear to realize who the man is, addressing him by what sounds like his last name. The officer quickly becomes more apologetic, saying, “We’re really sorry about this,” which has fueled more debate online about whether the officer’s tone changed because of the man’s family ties.
The clip has continued spreading across social media, with viewers split. Some believe the officer’s behavior shifted unfairly once he realized the man’s connections, while others argue that responding to reports of suspicious activity near ATMs is standard procedure.
The police department has not commented on the incident, and it remains unclear if an internal review will follow.