Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says three teens, who are black, were falsely detained at a Target store during a major theft investigation last week
VENTURA, California – The Los Angeles County sheriff’s department has said three teens, who are black, were falsely detained at a Target store in Westlake Village during a major theft investigation last week.
The teens – one 17-year-old and two 16-year-olds – from Thousand Oaks were walking home Jan. 17 after attending church with friends when they decided to stop at Target to buy snacks, the Ventura County Star reported.
The teens said they were victims of racial profiling by Target staff and county delegates.
One of the guys told the Star that he and his friends were unaware that there was a shoplifting incident while they were in the store, in which the suspects punched through the glass in the electronics sector and stole smartphones.
“We were followed into the store by an employee who told us, ‘Hey, I can’t let you guys hang out,’” he said, explaining that the group had decided to leave, but the exit was barricaded with shopping carts.
The teenager said Target’s security personnel would not let the teens leave, despite other visitors going out.
Three deputies then arrived and held the teens at the front of the store, including a handcuff and putting him in a police car for 20 minutes before releasing him. Authorities later said they were identified as suspects by the store’s loss prevention officers.
Captain Sal “Chuck” Becerra said in a social media statement Friday that the teens have been released and an internal investigation has found no evidence of excessive violence.
Target has released a statement saying that the company has apologized to the teens, fired one of the affected security team members, and will require store employees to retake security training and racial bias.
The mother of the teen who was handcuffed has since held attorney Toni Jaramilla to file a lawsuit for violating her son’s civil rights. She disputes the deputies’ account finding that excessive force was not used.
“The way they were held was very aggressive and not necessary for the situation,” Jaramilla said.