In Indiana, a white police officer has been fired after a viral video showed him harassing two African-American men for “acting suspicious” by spending over $1,000 at a shopping mall. Deputy Constable Daryl Jones was working off-duty as a security guard at a Nordstrom Rack store in the Indianapolis suburb of Lawrence when he followed Aaron Blackwell and his cousin Durell Cunningham to their car in the mall parking lot, demanding to see their IDs. Blackwell recorded the interaction on his cellphone.
Daryl Jones: “You get your driver’s license out right now and show me ID.”
Durell Cunningham: “Sir, call your supervisor.”
Aaron Blackwell: “What do you need my ID for, sir?”
Daryl Jones: “Well, because you want to run your mouth to me.”
Officer Jones called for backup, and an on-duty officer arrived, eventually telling Blackwell and Cunningham they were free to go. Lawrence Township Chief Constable Terry Burns said he decided to fire Officer Jones immediately after watching the video.