(WSVN) - The Virginia Beach Police Department issued an apology after arresting a Black father while he was at the mall with his family. It turned out that they confronted the wrong man, and now the department is saying sorry.
“You want to do this in public? We can’t walk outside?” said Jamar Mackey as an officer placed him in handcuffs.
“What did he do?” said Mackey’s fiancée.
“In front of my family?” Mackey said.
“We understand that this was a traumatic event,” said Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate.
Police publicly apologized for the mixup after Mackey was wrongly detained.
“Y’all, this is so (expletive) embarrassing. We’re out with our family,” said Mackey’s fiancée.
The roughly five-minute cell phone video showed Mackey being handcuffed in front of his family in a crowded food court and escorted out of the mall.
Officers said he matched the description of someone using stolen credit cards in the area.
He was released shortly after, but Mackey said he’s angry as this could’ve taken a much different turn.
“I sincerely apologize. It was a complete misunderstanding,” the arresting officer said.
“That was so embarrassing,” said Mackey’s fiancée said.
The video went viral and gained the attention of local and state leaders.
“Right or wrong, we have to be able to apologize when our actions greatly inconvenience a member of the community that we serve,” Neudigate said.
Neudigate said the incident is under investigation and that police are focusing on two main things.
“Was the initial approach and stop justified? And were the use of handcuffs justified?” Neudigate said.
He also said the department will be looking into their policies and procedures and get to the bottom of the situation.
“We only know what occurred based upon the video that was shared,” he said. “Unfortunately, our supervisors at this current time do not wear bodycams. We don’t have the interaction that led up and any conversations, so it is our responsibility to try to obtain all the relevant video footage and interview those people that were involved so that we have a true understanding.”
Another issue brought up during the incident was that the officer was not wearing a mask.
“It is absolutely the expectation that our officers will use their mask,” Neudigate said. “It’s still too early for me to definitively say, right or wrong, and that’s why we have an obligation to get all of the facts.”
The chief said he has also asked Mackey to come in so he can apologize to him in person.
“I think it’s important that he hears from the chief that we’re sorry that this happened to you,” he said.
Since Saturday’s incident, police have arrested another man in connection to the case.
That man was charged with four counts of credit card fraud and receiving stolen goods.
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