Mobile AL teens say they were racially profiled and bit by mall K-9
MOBILE, Ala. July 2 2019 A Mobile family is alleging racial profiling by security at the Shoppes at Bel Air mall.
Families say mall’s security K-9 “aggressively approached” and bit a teen who was in handcuffs.
The family held a press conference Monday morning to discuss the allegations.
The family’s attorneys L. Chris Stewart of Stewart Trial Attorneys and Justin Miller of Morgan & Morgan released the following statement:
Three teens and their 20-year-old chaperone will address media today to describe their outrage after they were handcuffed by mall security and bitten by the mall’s K-9 as they were attempting to shop for clothes at the Shoppes at Bel Air mall in Mobile, Ala.
Cameron Robinson and Zion Lett, both 16, Rodricus Johnson, 15, and Nathanial Henderson, 20, were walking into the Shoppes at Bel Air mall June 22 when they were aggressively approached by the mall’s security K-9 unit and ordered to put their hands on the wall. Mall security handcuffed the group.
When Cameron Robinson accused a security guard of racially profiling the group, the guard allegedly slammed the handcuffed teen on the ground and ordered his K-9 to attack the teen. The Dutch Shepherd bit the teen several times, severely injuring him. The teen was only recently released from the hospital where he was receiving treatment for the injuries and an infection caused by the dog bites.
According to Mobile Police:
On Saturday, June 22, 2019 at approximately 7:06 pm. Police responded to The Shoppes at Bel Air located at 3201 Bel Air Mall in reference to assisting the mall Security Officer K-9 unit in breaking up a fight involving several juveniles and a 20-year-old male at the location. One of the juveniles involved resisted arrest. The mall’s K-9 unit (dog) exited the vehicle and grabbed the juvenile biting him on his arm. The juvenile was then taken into custody. Once the juvenile was in handcuff he attempted to reach into his pants pocket. Officers checked the juvenile’s pockets and found him in possession of marijuana. The juvenile was transported to the hospital to be treated for the bite. The 16-year-old was later transported to Strickland Youth Center and charged with (disorderly conduct, possession of marijuana 2nd and resisting arrest) and Nathaniel Henderson, 20 was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. The other juvenile involved were release to their parents with petitions forth coming.
WPMI
