Texas cop in plainclothes follows Black man to his home over alleged traffic violations. Then he grabs his throat in his own yard: ‘Call the cops’
He made it home. So did the police
Running two stop signs can get a driver a traffic ticket. But for one Black man in Texas, the alleged violations led to two strangers following him home. And they weren’t just there to give him a ticket.
The men were police officers in regular clothes, including the city’s police chief. They confronted Kendrick Bates in his driveway, pushed him against his truck, and handcuffed him. His wife began recording, but when the chief put his hand on Bates’ neck, she demanded that someone call the police.
According to Atlanta Black Star, the October 5 incident in Sour Lake has raised questions about the officers’ actions. Bates claims they never told him they were police officers before approaching him. The incident is now under independent review.
But things didn’t end there
Bates had already reached his driveway when two officers approached in an unmarked police vehicle. He claims they had followed him without activating emergency lights or identifying themselves as police.
Even after reaching his own property, Bates found himself being questioned by police outside his home. But the encounter soon turned physical.
The officers, including Sour Lake Police Chief Aaron Burleson, pushed him against his truck and began handcuffing him. His wife, Hailey Shelburne, recorded the confrontation in a 3-minute, 51-second video.
“What happened?” she asked. “I don’t know,” Bates replied. “They rolled up and told me to put my hands behind my back.”
Shelburne pointed out that her husband was already in his driveway when officers arrived. As they twisted his arms behind his back, she pleaded with them to be careful.
“Be gentle with him; he’s not doing anything wrong,” she said. “He’s not resisting; you all just threw him against the truck.”
The confrontation escalated when Burleson placed his hand against Bates’ neck while reaching into his back pocket for his wallet. “Hey, get your hands off of his neck,” Shelburne demanded. “Call the cops, call the cops; more cops need to come here.”
Bates also objected to the search, saying he hadn’t given consent. When he twisted away, Burleson accused him of fighting and demanded his driver’s license.
“This is not a traffic stop,” Bates responded. “There’s no lights.”
Bates then threatened to contact Mark Ames, Hardin County’s Precinct 4 justice of the peace, whom he claimed to know personally. “Call Mark Ames,” Burleson responded. “I’m the police chief, so deal with me.”
Despite the confrontation, Bates was not arrested. Officers issued citations for the two alleged stop-sign violations.
Bates later posted the footage on Facebook, accusing the officers of failing to identify themselves. He also claimed they placed their hands around his throat and illegally searched his pockets.
The video went viral, with many questioning the force used over alleged traffic violations. Others wondered what happened before the recording began and whether Bates had refused officers’ commands.
Speaking to KFDM, Bates recalled two men in ordinary clothes approaching without showing badges or introducing themselves. “Even if I ran two stop signs, I don’t feel like that warranted anything that they did,” he said. “I was fearing for my life.”
On October 7, Sour Lake, a predominantly white southeast Texas city of just over 2,000 residents, announced that a neighboring law enforcement agency and the Texas Rangers had been contacted for an independent review. The involved officers were reassigned to non-patrol duties pending the investigation.
Bates has vowed to sue the police department and launched a GoFundMe to cover legal expenses. At the time of reporting, the fundraiser had raised approximately $7,800 toward its $11,000 goal.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
