These types of situations are happening way too often, and it’s disgusting.
A video went viral of an army drill sergeant telling a black man that he was in the “wrong neighborhood.”
Jonathan Pentland, 42, in Columbia, South Carolina is seen in the video bullying, shoving, and threatening an unidentified Black man. Petland yelled, “You’re in the wrong neighborhood. I ain’t playing with you. I’m about to show you what I can do.” In another scene, Petland said, “I’m about to do something to you. You better start walking right now.”
It’s not clear what ignited the conflict, but in the footage, Petland pushed the Black man so hard, the Black man almost fell to the ground. He stayed calm while Petland and his wife were rude, obnoxious and continued to oppress them. Police arrived on the scene and only gave Pentland a citation for malicious injury to property for slapping the man’s phone out of his hand and cracking it.
Black Lives Matter demonstrators flooded the neighborhood, demanding justice. Jasmine James, who lives in the neighborhood, told WLTX she “came out today as I wanted to make my voice heard, so people know this is not OK. We are simply trying to exist and be a part of America like everyone else.”
Petland also faces a maximum fine of $500 and 30 days in jail.