Indiana Officer Fired After Stopping Black Men For 'Acting Suspicious'

cop fired after detaining two young black men for 'acting suspicious'

An Indiana police officer who was seen in a viral video stopping two black men in a Nordstrom Rack parking lot because they were "acting suspicious" has been fired by his department, WTHR in Indianapolis reports.

According to the description in the video posted to YouTube on Nov. 13, the two young men had just completed a shopping trip at the department store when the officer, identified as Lawrence Township Deputy Constable Daryl Jones, yelled at them that he was going to run their plates once they pulled out of their parking spot. One of the young men begin filming, and circled back around.

"So, we circled back to ask him why he was being invasive and abusing his authority!" the description states.

Jones approaches the two young men and demands that they get their driver's licenses out. The two men repeatedly ask Jones why he's hassling them and why he wanted to see their ID. They also make multiple requests for him to call his supervisor.

"I'm not calling the supervisor," Jones replies.

"You're not pulling me over neither," one man can be heard saying.

"What do you need my I.D. for, sir?" one of the men asks.

"Because you want to run your mouth," he says.

At one point, one of the men tells Jones that he had no right to run their vehicle's plates, to which Jones shouts back: "I got my rights to do anything I want to do, I’m a police officer."

"I don't mind showing you my driver's license, but what is your reason for asking," one of the men says.

"Because you're acting suspicious," Jones responds.

After Jones calls for backup, an officer with the Indianapolis Metro Police Department responded and can be seen speaking with the off-duty officer behind the car. Then, Jones can be seen returning to the driver's side window and letting the two men know they're free to go.

You can watch the full 17-minute video posted to YouTube below. Caution, there is some strong language throughout.

Lawrence Township Chief Constable Terry Burns told NBC News he fired Jones within two hours after seeing the viral video. Jones had been working for the department for about 20 years.

Jones was also let go from his job as an off-duty security officer for Nordstrom Rack the department store told the news outlet.


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