A Michigan woman has gone public after her younger brother, a 21-year-old college student, was pepper sprayed and detained by East Lansing Police during Welcome Week. She described the incident as unlawful and traumatic, saying her family is now pushing for accountability. In a TikTok video, the woman explained that her brother was waiting outside Dave’s Hot Chicken on August 23 when a disagreement broke out between his friend and another person. He attempted to step in and de-escalate when officers suddenly arrived and pepper sprayed him without warning. “There was no verbal warning before this happened,” she said, adding that no physical fight had taken place.
Her brother was handcuffed, placed in a squad car, and taken to jail. She claimed he was never told if he was being arrested or detained, and when he asked for help with his eyes, officers only provided wet wipes. “In Michigan, it is your lawful duty as a police officer to address medical concerns after deploying pepper spray,” she pointed out, saying her brother later needed to visit the ER. The following day, the family learned he was cited with a misdemeanor for disorderly conduct tied to “physical fighting,” something his sister insists never occurred. “This is a kid who’s never even had a D on his report card,” she said. “Now he could have a criminal record for something he didn’t do.”
Netizens Reaction to the Michigan Woman’s Video
In the comments, many viewers were outraged with how the situation was handled. One person even called East Lansing police “a racist gang.” Another said, “The cops are the worst at MSU. I was arrested and kept for ‘resisting arrest’ because I asked why the cops were at my house.” Several others shared that they were frustrated with how the boy’s basic rights had been ignored. “They didnt [sic] even read him his rights. This will be expensive,” one noted.
Some urged the family to seek help from MSU legal services, reminding them that free representation is available to students. One netizen suggested filing a FOIA request for body cam footage, insisting that “body cam footage will tell all.” Supportive comments showed sympathy for both the young man and his sister. “So sorry this happened to your little brother, but so thankful he has a sister like you,” one wrote. An East Lansing resident added, “I’ve personally seen ELPD treat black men as automatic criminals and… use excessive force during a mental health episode. I’m so sorry that this happened to your brother.”
Still, not everyone believed the account. Skeptics asked to hear “the other side of the story,” with one commenter arguing, “Pepper spray exposure is not an emergent medical condition… He is an adult so you do not have the right to know what his charges are.” Another dismissed the family’s pushback outright, saying, “Sounds like you’re just looking for a payday.”
