Nobody likes to be accused of something they didn’t do. Unfortunately, this sometimes turns into an even bigger issue when it leads to an arrest. A black woman in Indiana was shocked when an interaction at a Walmart store ended in her being arrested. To make matters worse, her child was present–and it was her birthday. The way the shocking arrest unfolded would be enough to make anybody question how any of this happened legally.
Brandi (@ilovequeenbrandi) explained in a TikTok video that she was arrested by the Hobart Police Department at the Merrillville, Indiana Walmart. In the video, she tells the police that the shoes she had in her cart were purchased. She has the police check the camera and holds up her receipt, but they don’t seem to believe her. Another cop, this one a female, comes on screen and Brandi explains, “He was aggressive with me.” The officer walks toward her, and she says, “Ma’am, please do not approach me. I have my child.”
As Brandi tries to calmly explain this and that she’s innocent, they accuse her of getting out of hand. She calmly states, “Please. I am not yelling.” The officer still continues to tell her that she needs to stop yelling. When Brandi continues speaking, the officer takes out her cuffs and says, “Put your hands behind your back.” Brandi then drops the phone and starts screaming as she’s being cuffed, explaining that her child is present. They continue to berate her for making a scene.
Brandi explained in the caption of her video, “I never in a million years thought this would happen to me.” She went on to say she was falsely accused of stealing shoes because the cashier accidentally removed the shoes from her total due to a scan error. A man stopped her at the exit and told her that he saw she had missed an item. He asked her to come into a private room with her, but she refused, saying she didn’t feel safe with her child in that room. Unfortunately, this led to the police being called and showing up. Brandi said that, when she was arrested, her child was left unattended at the Walmart. She’s now bringing awareness to the issue and taking legal action. As she stated, “This could happen to you, your sister, your mother, your daughter.”
Commenters were shocked that she was treated so poorly over a mistake, especially in front of her young daughter. One commenter assured her, “You have the right to be upset. It’s not disorderly to react accordingly.” Brandi replied, “Exactly, I can’t wait to see her in court. She almost ripped my arm off.” Another person pointed out, “Yelling is absolutely not a crime.” On top of that, it appeared to me that Brandi barely raised her voice. I guess defending yourself is a crime in itself to some police officers.
