From Emmett Till to Tamir Rice, the value of young Black lives in America has always been a question more than a certainty, with yet another incident justifying the fears we feel for our children on a daily basis.
The Huffington Post reports that police are investigating a White man who allegedly pulled a gun on a group of Muslim teens at a Minnesota McDonald’s Monday night.
The Eden Prairie Police Department said in a statement that, “Arriving officers located several juveniles inside the restaurant. Witnesses reported a verbal altercation between an adult male and a juvenile male, during which the adult male reportedly displayed a gun before leaving the scene.”
One of the teens, Farida Osman, told Muslim Girl that her friend was attempting to make her purchase using Apple Pay, which prompted the unidentified White man to make a racist remark.
“Jihan heard the man say, ’You’re probably using EBT [Electronic Benefit Transfer—a debit card where welfare benefits can be placed.] And she immediately turned to him and said, ‘Just because I’m Black, doesn’t mean I use EBT.’”
As one of the friends questioned the man about the racist remark, he allegedly pulled out his firearm, threatening them before leaving the premises. In one clip uploaded to social media, it appears the man accuses one of the kids of touching him, which they deny.
This is the man that pulled the gun tonight. Detective Twitter do your thing 👀🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/Y5Sk2NUviJ
— f💓 (@snatchingedgess) November 20, 2018
Making matters worse, a McDonald’s employee demanded the kids leave behind the man who just threatened their lives.
McDonald’s Employee: “I want everybody out NOW!”
The teens: “He has a gun.”
McDonald’s employee: “I understand that. I want everyone out of my store now!”
Teens: “He has a gun!”
McDonald’s Employee: “I don’t give a f*ck. I want everyone out of my store now.”
Another customer then called out the employee for possibly placing the kids in danger, telling her, “Don’t send them out there when the dude just pulled a f*cking gun on them. You better call the f*cking cops, is what you gotta do…So they can get shot by some crazy person? Damn!”
@McDonalds is this what you stand for? We were just trying to order when this man said racist remarks, claimed to be touched (when really he pushed a kid as seen on video) pulled a gun out on kids and you still kick us out knowing we’re in danger? 1/2 pic.twitter.com/3vKXsxhuwH
— f💓 (@snatchingedgess) November 20, 2018
Another employee told the children that if the man pulled a gun, he pulled it “for a reason.”
After yelling you also add “if he pulled out a gun it’s for a reason”. There should be no reason that a man pulled out a gun on children just trying to order their food. 2/2 pic.twitter.com/fg1LByNBbL
— f💓 (@snatchingedgess) November 20, 2018
McDonald’s has yet to address the incident.