A woman from an affluent Ohio neighborhood is facing backlash after she was filmed racially profiling a black real estate developer and questioning whether he actually lived in his own home.
The video, captured by real estate developer Mike Jenkins’ doorbell camera, shows the dispute that has sparked outrage across communities on racial profiling, prompting the woman to issue an apology.
‘I Don’t Believe That’
The woman, identified as Michelle Bishop, was jogging with two of her young children. Feeling threatened as a grey truck slowly approached them, Bishop can be heard screaming for help as she runs towards the nearest house.
Unknowingly to the woman, the house she was attempting to gain assistance at belonged to Jenkins and his family. Jenkins pulled into his driveway and asked the woman if she was looking for somebody. Instead of answering the question directly, the woman decided to ask if Jenkins was the homeowner. Despite his confirmation, she said “I don’t believe that” and proceeded to run down the street with her kids, screaming for help.
The commotion led Jenkins’ wife to come outside, trying to understand what was happening. In the video, the woman’s husband, who had come to her aid, can be heard explaining her perspective. According to him, his wife had encountered someone in a silver truck which led her to panic and flee to Jenkins’ residence.
Jenkins, however, told his side as well, explaining that he was driving slowly to check out the Christmas lights on his home when he saw the woman standing in his driveway. Jenkins’ wife then clarified that the situation was a misunderstanding, reiterating that her husband does live in the same home that the woman was seeking help from.
The video ended with the woman claiming that she was frightened because Jenkins never identified himself as the homeowner, which he quickly denied and mentioned that he had done so when she was standing on his porch.
Although the incident took place in November, the video has recently been circulated on social media, with Bishop receiving heavy criticism online, with many calling her out for racial profiling.
Bishop Issued a Statement, Said She was Concerned About Her Kids’ Safety and That She Had Apologized to Her Neighbors
Bishop issued a statement after the video went viral, denying any racist intentions and said she was only concerned about her children’s safety. Bishop added that she could not see Jenkins’ race at the time of the incident because it was dark outside, and she has reached out to her neighbors to apologize for what happened.
Jenkins took to his Instagram account to address the situation and how calm he was during the incident. He said he was proud that even in the hardest moments, he was able to handle the situation with class and not spaz out when it could have been so easy to lose control.
This incident has highlighted the issues of living in a predominantly white neighborhood and how community awareness and understanding are needed to avoid this from happening to others in the near future.
