Atlanta Black Star is reporting on a Houston traffic stop that went from routine to ridiculously reckless. Kathleen Booker, a Black Houston realtor had just left her house when multiple police vehicles swarmed her car. According to the report, officers rolled up, guns drawn, barking orders and demanding she step out of the vehicle with her hands up. No explanation, no clarity.
Booker’s stepdaughter and toddler were forced to watch this terrifying spectacle unfold in real time. Because nothing says “protect and serve” like traumatizing children by willfully misusing, misunderstanding, and misapplying simple information.
A video that Booker took during the traffic stop has gone viral on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitter and has amassed upwards of 3 millions views over the course of 48 hours.
The reason for this over-the-top display of force? Police claimed her car “matched the description” of a vehicle tied to a gas station robbery. The problem? According to Booker, nothing actually matched the description. It was the wrong vehicle type, wrong race, and wrong gender. The only thing that seemed to track was the fact that police were abusing their authority in a way that we’ve seen end fatally multiple times.
Booker later shared that while she wasn’t physically harmed, the emotional and mental toll was very real, especially for her children. That’s the part that these cops need to remember, once the cuffs come off, the trauma doesn’t magically disappear.
Attorney Lee Merritt Sr. amplified Booker’s social media post and added some much need legal analysis of the situation.
Sadly, this is all very familiar. Over the years, BOSSIP has reported dozens of “oops, wrong suspect” moments and they continue to happen under egregiously erroneous circumstances.
But sure, let’s keep pretending this is just a coincidence. Again.