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An Atlanta mother and social media influencer says her 21-year-old son was racially profiled while running an errand for her at Office Depot, per Fox 5.
Cassandra Wilcox, known as Crafting with Cassandra on social media, said the incident unfolded on September 13 when her son, Anarrion Wilcox, was picking up craft sublimation printers she ordered for a class she was teaching.
Anarrion went to two Office Depot locations to pick up the printers. He left the first store without a problem, but once he arrived at the second store, a worker called 911, claiming Anarrion stole printers from both locations, the mother said.
In a 911 call shared by Wilcox's attorney, the worker reported a "potential suspect" who "had already hit one of our other locations."
Police arrived at the scene and continued to question and harass Anarrion despite him showing them receipts for the printers, Cassandra Wilcox said. He was eventually let go.
Wilcox has retained civil rights attorney Harry Daniels.
This wasn’t some simple mistake or miscommunication," Daniels said. "Office Depot knew he wasn’t some kind of criminal. He’d paid for the printers himself. He had the receipts. But all they saw was a young Black man in a hoodie."
Office Depot denied allegations of racial profiling in a statement to Fox 5.
"Office Depot does not practice or condone racial profiling in any way. Based on Office Depot’s initial investigation into this incident, no racial profiling took place," a spokesperson for the company wrote. "We look forward to the opportunity to meet with this customer and his mother in the near future."
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