An innocent black father eating was put in handcuffs while eating at a mall with his family because he matched the description of a credit card fraudster 

Jamar Mackey was handcuffed him in front of his fiancée and two children as they ate at a mall food court, in a case of mistaken identity

Police were seen taking Mackay man into custody in a viral video

He was handcuffed and then escorted out of a mall by police officers

Outside, police realized they had the wrong person and released the man

They then explained that their actions had been prompted by a description of a suspect using stolen credit cards – a Blackmann wearing dreads with a boy in a red hoodie

Mackay In an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Tuesday, characterized the incident as ‘blatant racial profiling’ by cops

The Virginia Beach Police Dept said it was investigating the incident

Virginia police are investigating an incident that led to an innocent black man being put in handcuffs after a video of him being taken into custody went viral.  
A woman named Kiara Love posted the video on Facebook on December 19, writing: ‘Trying to enjoy a meal with my family in the mall but Virginia Beach police out here arresting people for being black with dreads I was so scared this was gonna end differently.’ 
The Black father is condemning what he described as a “dehumanizing” experience he endured over the weekend when he was mistaken for a credit card fraud suspect by a white Virginia police sergeant, who handcuffed him in front of his fiancée and two children as they ate at a mall food court.

In an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Tuesday, Jamar Mackey characterized the incident at a Virginia Beach shopping mall as blatant racial profiling by police officers.

Black father wrongfully detained by police in front of family calls treatment ‘dehumanizing’

The video starts as a black man with long dreadlocks, wearing dark clothing, is shown sitting at a food court table, with a full meal spread out in front of him, at Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach, Virginia, as he’s being handcuffed by a police officer. Virginia cop handcuffs black man after mistaking him for suspect.
TMZ reported that the officer put the handcuffs on the man without explaining what he was doing first.  
Kiara can be heard asking what the police officers are doing, saying that the family just arrived at the mall and was eating, while also denying that they have a black truck, which the officer had asked about. 
The man doesn’t struggle with police as he’s being escorted outside, but he does repeatedly ask ‘Are you serious right now?’ while also swearing and yelling at police and referencing Black Lives Matter.  

In his interview on “Good Morning America” Mackey said “It’s just like … nothing has changed. How is everything still the same? How do you still racially profile a Black man with dreads that way in 2020? How do you do that? It’s still happening in this day to Black men,” said Mackey.
Mackey’s ordeal unfolded on Saturday as he, along with his fiancée, Shantel Covil, whose cellphone video of the police encounter has since gone viral on social media, and their 13-year-old son and baby were seated at a table in the Lynnhaven Mall food court eating lunch and “trying to enjoy the holidays.”
“And next, you know, I’m in handcuffs. No words, no explanation,” Mackey said.

In the video taken by Covil, a white Virginia Beach police sergeant is seen handcuffing Mackey as he sat at the table, saying, “I want to talk to you, OK?” and mentioning something about a suspect in a black truck.
“Y’all got the wrong person. We don’t even have a black truck,” Covil is heard in the video telling the sergeant, who was not wearing a protective mask.
The sergeant, according to the video, then told the visibly angry Mackey to stand up. “You’re going to do this in public, make me walk outside in front of my family?” Mackey told the sergeant, who proceeded to grab onto Mackey’s arm and lead him through the crowded food court and out the front door, where they were met by other police officers, who were also not wearing masks.

After nearly three minutes, police realize that they don’t have the person they’re looking for and remove the handcuffs, while explaining that they were acting on a report that a black male with dreads, wearing all black, in the company of a boy wearing red, had been using stolen credit cards at the mall.  
Kiara then swings the camera to the far side of the mall, where additional police are seen standing near a boy wearing a red top. 
As the would-be arresting officer calmly explains what happened and apologizes for the mistaken identity, Kiara swings the camera around to show that she, too, is with a young boy in a red hooded sweatshirt who is now pushing her baby carriage. 
While asking for the officers’ names, she notes that the situation was ‘so embarrassing’ and says that the police had stereotyped her male companion.    

The Virginia Beach Police Department said that it will be conducting an investigation into the incident.  
‘Certainly, anyone would be upset about being detained for something they didn’t do,’ Virginia Beach Police Department Chief Paul Neudigate said in a statement Sunday.
‘While the video shows the officer stayed calm and respectful throughout the brief encounter, we must ensure the situation merits the response. We are gathering all the facts to evaluate the incident so we can address the concerns people have raised.’