House-Shopping While Black

[WHITT]

A Black Army vet toured a house with his real estate agent and teen. Half a dozen police officers surrounded the home and handcuffed them.


As a police officer turned Roy Thorne around to cuff his hands behind his back, the 45-year-old father saw the same happening to his 15-year-old son.

Thorne and his son were touring a home Sunday with real estate agent Eric Brown, who’s also Black, in Wyoming, Mich., when police suddenly surrounded the house with guns drawn. The officers were responding to a neighbor’s 911 call about a break in. They ordered the three out of the house, handcuffed them and put them in separate vehicles.

Except it wasn’t a break in. Brown, 46, who has been working in the Grand Rapids area market for 20 years, had arrived at the house on Sharon Avenue SW around 2 p.m. Thorne brought his 15-year-old son, Samuel.

Thorne and Brown said they were racially profiled. If they were White, they said, neighbors wouldn’t have called the police. And if they did, some half-dozen officers would not have surrounded the place with guns drawn, the men added.

“A SWAT team is what it felt like,” Brown told The Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/08/06/black-realtor-michigan-police-handcuffed/

[underpants]

1. Welcome to the neighborhood

Yikes

[luckone]

2. Some dangerous asshole is making sure they don't buy the house . Could have caused a lot worse

Bad enough what happened with the police response but 1/2 doz officers with guns drawn

[Bristlecone]

6. That's exactly right

[HipChick]

3. disgusting

So tired of this shit

[Hugh_Lebowski]

4. You REALLY would think this could've been sorted out very quickly

Agent shows the cops his business card (or have them look you up online), show them the open lock box, and the front door key you have in your hand.

That's really incredible they were actually hauled off in police cruisers.

Presumably, at least, no charges were filed and they were released almost immediately upon arrival at station?

Tell me at least that, or I'm really going to be floored.

Still fucked up that it happened, to be clear.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Here's part of what the article said. I think you'll be relieved!

Brown explained he was a real estate agent on a scheduled tour. Still handcuffed, he showed them his credentials and said he had a confirmed appointment to show the home. He explained how he had used an app on his phone to access a lockbox with the house key.

That’s when officers realized the mistake and freed Thorne, Brown and his son. Thorne estimated they were in handcuffs for about 20 minutes.

Several officers apologized, and Thorne said he thinks one was genuinely sorry. He said he saw that officer talking with the White couple who called 911. The officer returned to say he had chewed them out, apologized again and left, Thorne said.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

7. Thanks! That is somewhat heartening to read.

I only get so many articles/month so I have to pick and choose

[Vinca]

12. Well, that'll be a story to tell at the next REALTOR meeting.

My husband is a licensed real estate appraiser and he's been quizzed before by police, too, while inspecting an empty house. Quizzed - not handcuffed. He's white. Where we live it's the neighbors in rural areas who are frightening with their arsenals always at the ready.

[KS Toronado]

18. I'm glad the officer chewed the neighbors out, should be able to fine them

Had something similar years ago, I told the cop it was the neighbor across the street 2 houses south
and why he did it, cop got on his radio a couple minutes, then drove 2 houses down turned his lights
on and walked up and knocked on his door, talked to him almost 15 minutes. He never called the cops
on me again, this had been the 4th time.

[Lancero]

21. 20 minutes, in cuffs, with cops pointing guns at them.

Before the police decided 'hey, maybe we should ask this guy why he's here'.

[Kev80]

22. With all due respect, Peggy.

I’m a white male married to a beautiful black woman. This doesn’t make the racism go away. In no way am I saying you’re trying to sugarcoat the situation (sugarcoat go figure where that term came from) but this whole thing stinks of racism. Would they do the same to me as a white male with my beautiful black wife, I think not (well maybe). When I married her, we joked about, her stock just went up by 50% and she said well yours just went down by 50%. 😂

[CaliforniaPeggy]

23. No, of course it doesn't make the racism go away. I don't think I said that.

But it did relieve the tension that was being felt.

Congrats to you for your clear-eyed contribution here today.

And, Welcome to DU!

[Kev80]

24. You're the best

I’ve been reading your posts for many years. I’ve always known you to be a kind and heartfelt person, which you are. Thank you for having me.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

25. This one's for you, my dear Kev...

[RandiFan1290]

8. Here is the same thing in Ohio

[WHITT]

9. Police Claim Race Not Involved

The victims want to hear the 911 call. The police showed-up with half a dozen officers with guns drawn for a reason.

[Merlot]

11. Neighbors did it on purpose as a scare tactic is my guess.

[Mr.Bill]

15. And they have every legal right to hear that call. n/t

[BeckyDem]

10. Yep.

[ananda]

13. Almost like swatting.

Geez

[rickford66]

16. Something similar along these lines happened to me.

I'm white. About 30 years ago I had 5 wooded rural acres up for sale. A black couple showed up to check it out. He happened to be a NY city fireman. Withing minutes a white neighbor showed up to ask what was happening. He said he'd been trying to contact me to buy the land. I mentioned that a sign with my phone number was posted for over a year. The black couple decided not to buy but the neighbor offered me more than I figured the final offer would be and in cash. What's more amazing is originally the land wasn't selling and a friend who claimed to be psychic said I wasn't asking enough. So I doubled the price and the neighbor ended up paying 50% more than I wanted in the first place.

[tishaLA]

17. Happens way way way too often

From 2 years ago. The realtor sued the PD and received $151,000 for violating his civil rights paid for by the same taxpayers who are already on the hook for overpriced, undertrained cops

[relayerbob]

19. Whoever called that in should be charged

Or at the very least sued to the point where they lose their house.

[Fla Dem]

20. Not the 1st story I've heard about a Black house hunter being targeted by neighbors and police.

This is a prime example of how people who declare "I'm not prejudiced", react when they see Blacks and other Ethnic minorities in their lily white neighborhoods.

Real Estate companies should be highly aware of these situations and make sure their realtors' cars are clearly marked with their company's name.