By: Alyssa Wilson

A Black real estate agent in Michigan and a Black family he was showing a home to were placed in handcuffs by police officers who responded to the report of a break-in at the property.  

According to WOOD-TV, Eric Brown was showing the home to Roy Thorne and his teenage son. As they walked through the house for the tour, they noticed the number of police officers outside began to increase.  

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Speaking to officers through the home’s upstairs window, Roy told officers who he was. All three were ordered to come out with their hands raised as officers allegedly pointed guns at the house. Everyone at the showing, including Throne’s 15-year-old son, were placed in handcuffs.  

“They keep their guns drawn on us until all of us were in cuffs,” Thorne said. “So, that was a little traumatizing, I guess because, under the current climate of things, you just don’t know what’s going to happen.”  

Once Brown was handcuffed, he said he explained himself to officers and showed his credentials as the real estate agent showing the property. The Wyoming police officers then removed the handcuffs and apologized. “That officer came back and apologized again, but at the same time, the damage is done,” Thorne said, citing that his son will not forget what happened.  

Police say officers responded to the home on Sharon Avenue SW after receiving a 911 call from a neighbor reporting a break-in. “Officers were aware that a previous burglary had occurred at this same address on July 24 and that a suspect was arrested and charged for unlawful entry during the incident,” Captain Timothy Pols said in a statement.  

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He also noted that the caller said the person was previously arrested for the break-in returned to the property to illegally enter it again. Placing all three in handcuffs is a part of department protocol, Pols said.  

The explanation from police did not change the feelings the men have from their experience, especially when research shows Black Americans are 3.23 times more likely than white Americans to be killed by police. “The level of response and the aggressiveness of the response was definitely a take back, it really threw me back,” Brown said.  

Police deny the allegations of racial profiling, saying that “there was no racial element to it.” Brown, however, said the incident would have a lasting impact on him. “I feel pretty anxious, or nervous or maybe even a little bit scared about what do I do to protect myself if I’m going to show a home and the authorities just get called on a whim like that.”  

If you or someone you know is struggling with trauma triggered by this story, resources are available here.