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Stanford police are receiving scrutiny after an officer drew a gun on a Black driver over the weekend, an incident that has gained national attention following a viral Twitter thread from a witness.
The Stanford Department of Public Safety is reviewing the incident and has asked the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office to also conduct a review, according to a Monday, Jan. 30, announcement from the university. The Sheriff’s Office oversees Stanford’s police officers. Stanford’s Community Board on Public Safety will also be given information about the incident, the university said.
Jessica Stovall, a Stanford doctoral candidate, posted on Twitter about how she had watched as a white police officer drew a gun on a young Black man at around 11 p.m. on Saturday night. According to Stovall, the incident occurred at a busy roundabout on campus and she could hear someone say “put your hands up” through her headphones. The officers ultimately released the man.
“I refuse to normalize this type of behavior of cops. This man was never arrested, and yet, he had a gun drawn on him,” Stovall wrote. “Police interactions like this cannot go quietly into that dark night.”
As of Tuesday morning, Stovall’s Twitter thread had 2.8 million views and nearly 20,000 likes.
Stanford released a statement on Monday, noting that there have been social media accounts of the incident, and gave a police account of what happened. According to police, a Stanford deputy saw a parked car with trash next to it in the lot of a student residence. The officer observed packages in the back seat. The driver said that he was a delivery driver, asked if he was free to leave and then drove away, police said.
Dispatchers ran the license plate number and saw that there was an arrest warrant for the registered owner, whose driving privileges were suspended, according to police. Another deputy then stopped the car on campus and when the driver allegedly didn’t follow directions to exit the vehicle, an officer pointed his gun at the car, police said. The original deputy took his gun out of its holster, but kept it at his side, police said.
Officers then determined that the driver wasn’t the registered owner of the car. They cited him for possession of marijuana in an unsealed container in the compartment of a motor vehicle and released him, police said.
The incident comes at a time of heightened scrutiny around police use of force, after video was released of Memphis police officers beating Tyre Nichols, a Black man, on Jan. 7. Nichols died three days later. The initial police account of the incident was contradicted by video that was later released.
Stanford’s statement acknowledged the national conversation over police misconduct.
“We understand the level of distrust many persons have about the police, especially persons of color,” Department of Public Safety Director Laura Wilson said in the release. “The recent tragic death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of persons who were police officers emphasizes why distrust is warranted.”
Data released by Stanford in 2021 shows a disproportionate number of police interactions with Black individuals, compared to their share of the campus community. Black people make up 4% of Stanford’s community, but 9% of arrests and 15% of field interviews, according to the report. Black people’s share of citations matched their share of the population, both at 4%.
The university noted in the report that individuals police interact with are not necessarily affiliated with Stanford, making data comparisons more complex. Across Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco and Alameda counties, Black people make up 5% of the population, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
Stovall’s Twitter thread highlighted the impact that incidents like the one this weekend can have on those involved, regardless of whether someone is arrested.
“All this, right after the video release of Mr. Tyre Nichols’s murder. Black folk aren’t safe even on one of the most elite campuses in the world,” Stovall wrote. “And I share all this to say, yes. He was able to go home. But with what damage to him? To those of us who witnessed? I didn’t sleep.”
Last night, around 11 pm, I was taking a mind clearing walk around Stanford’s campus and witnessed a white police officer draw a gun on a young Black man. 1/11
— Jessica Stovall (@_jessicastovall) January 29, 2023
Typically, Stanford threw their own police, as well as all police in the country under the bus:
“We understand the level of distrust many persons have about the police, especially persons of color,” Department of Public Safety Director Laura Wilson said in the release. “The recent tragic death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of persons who were police officers emphasizes why distrust is warranted.”
Yes, according to Stanford, you shouldn’t trust police in general. That’s the narrative. Did anyone miss the irony that it is the *Public Safety Director* at Stanford who is telling everyone not to trust the police?
Driver was driving on suspended license and there was an arrest warrant on the car owner. Driver refused to stop. Police are keeping us safe.
Barron Parker Too is correct that Stanford’s Safety Director immediately threw her own people under the bus. She could have said “We take this incident seriously. We’ll promptly investigate what happened, including reviewing camera records and interviewing the person stopped, witnesses, and the officers involved. The Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s Office will also be involved. Then we’ll get back to the public on what we found.”
Tying this incident into the Nichols killing in Memphis might not be unexpected for a witness such as Ms. Stovall, who is free to give her own views. And the reporter didn’t help with the recitation of broad-brush statistics that don’t bear on the specific situation. But the Safety Director must follow a more careful path while she figures out what the heck went on. Don’t say “…distrust is warranted”–that doesn’t help keep things calm.
Did the officers act reasonably, based on the driver’s behavior (and drug-related citation) after a warrant-related stop done during nighttime, or were the officers’ actions out of line, disproportionate, and unwarranted?
I see a bit of factual inconsistency in the accounts that is curious and highly relevant. The banner headline on front page of PAOnline says “deputy aimed gun at Black man”. But the headline on the story page says “deputy [who] drew gun on Black man”. Not necessarily aimed it at him.
Reporter’s story says “deputy took his gun out of its holster, but kept it at his side”. That suggests that the deputy did not aim it at the Black man.
Grad Student’s account on twitter says “bikers exclaimed later that they were right in the line of fire”. That suggests that deputy was aiming his gun somewhere.
Bus Stop Man’s cell phone video might tell the real story here. Would like to see it.
Jessica described the driver of the care as a young black male. It just so happens that young black males are the most dangerous demographic in the country. Under the circumstances described, don’t blame the deputy for being extra cautious.
“Did the officers act reasonably, based on the driver’s behavior (and drug-related citation) after a warrant-related stop done during nighttime, or were the officers’ actions out of line, disproportionate, and unwarranted?”
No. The driver (only determined to be a suspect after proving he was NOT the registered owner who had a warrant) was not a suspect until they found some marijuana that may or may not have been his. The victim’s response was appropriate.
Stanford’s half-baked intentions to investigate themselves couched in pretending to sympathize with Tyre Nichols protests is just a deflection. If no one had seen or videotaped this episode, I have serious doubts as to whether or not the victim would still be alive today. Nobody would even know. I’m surprised it took 4 days to print it HERE.
I hate to say this, but Ms. Stovall should be prepared for retaliation for her tweet. From the University that claims they are perfect in almost every way.
Time. Is. Up. Even superlative institutions of higher learning at least admit their failures and try to “do better” instead of trying to dodge a bullet and getting caught red-handed doing more harm than good.
The tweeter conveniently left out the important parts of the story:
– there was an arrest warrant for the registered owner
– driving privileges were suspended
– deputy stopped the car and driver didn’t follow directions to exit vehicle with tinted windows
– driver driving under the influence (marijuana)
Suddenly, it looks like Police did their job.
The DRIVER was not the registered owner.
The DRIVER did not have a suspended license.
The DRIVER did not submit to any BLOOD or other TEST to determine his SOBRIETY.
The fact that the DRIVER WAS LEFT ALONE AFTER THE POLICE REALIZED THEY SCREWED UP is clearly evident, and more than one person WITNESSED THE EVENT
It looks like the POLICE were caught acting like Keystone Kops in a Saturday cartoon, which is why they got back in their cars and left. IF THE DRIVER COMMITTED A CRIME you can bet he would have been hogtied, thrown in the back seat with a canine biting him the whole way to the pokey.
This is a perfect example of why it’s pointless to write an “article” four days after an event. Because it looks like the apology train is lining up for the parade, starting right here.
Honestly it was foolish of the Stanford deputy to attempt to enforce the law or ensure the safety of the students on campus. He knows where he works, he knows what they’ll do to him if ignorant ppl take to social media with uninformed opinions.
Following numerous Floyd rallies, speeches and community members calling to abolish or defund the racist local police, we got the message and immediately stopped initiating contact with black males, unless forced to do so via a call, ie, grab and run with violence towards employees at Sephora/Athleta/Apple store, etc. Car full of young males, plates out of Modesto, suspended registration, slowing cruising in the Whole Foods parking lot? Meh, I’ll just get coffee instead. Shockingly, crime increased, but what’s a few extra robberies in the name of equity?
John, if Stanford cared about its community they wouldn’t make a woman feel afraid for her life if she reports a sexual assault on campus. The last victim that we know about was pulled from a corridor, dragged into an unoccupied space, and assaulted. She didn’t want to report it because she thinks Stanford would drag HER through the mud. So much for “equity”.
“black males are the most dangerous demographic in the country” WHAT?? Hmmm it is white men who are the mass murderers in this country, white people stormed the capital and murdered police officers, where are you getting that statement? AND the police are doing their duty?? “Enforce the law”–WHAT LAW SAYS YOU CAN JUST POINT A GUN AT SOMEONE NOT BREAKING ANY LAW? Oh I forgot police of any color can draw a gun on a black man driving a car. Silly me. And I’m a white very privileged woman. How many white kids get that treatment? NONE! How many rich white kids get a ticket for pot (that is legal in CA), how many have a gun pointed at them. NONE. I’d love to see the statistics on that. THANK YOU JENNIFER STOVALL–you saw something unacceptable and posted it on social media which is our communication to the body politic. You did a great service. I hope the young man sees it. I hope the officers apologize to him.
Who are you people?
Hi Joann, per the non-partisan gun violence archive, approx. 70% of mass shootings are committed by 13% of the population. The more important question is why certain ones are highlighted to “privileged White women”, while others are buried in the headlines. I was upset the first time I realized how misinformed I was- you should be too.
Police may use reasonable force to detain a suspect and protect themselves. When they reasonably believe a driver is wanted for arrest and behind the wheel of a potential 3000 lb weapon, then that driver refuses lawful orders from an officer, the unknown threat increases and police behavior changes to meet it.
You keep referring to disparate treatment between White and black, but an even greater disparity exists between Asian and black people at the hands of police. Are police less racist towards Asians? Or is behavior and criminality the main factor here?
JoAnn, it’s YOUNG Black males……..not Black males in general. How convenient to leave out that adjective.
While @Neal provides zero citations for his assertion justifying police racial profiling and pulling of a weapon against an unarmed Black man, the data on the threat that the police pose to the life and safety of Black men, especially young Black men, is irrefutable and alarming.
Thanks to the witness who tweeted out this incident, drawing needed local and national attention to another disturbing and potentially life threatening incident involving police treatment of Black men.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1821204116
“Among all groups, black men and boys face the highest lifetime risk of being killed by police. Our models predict that about 1 in 1,000 black men and boys will be killed by police over the life course (96 [77, 120] per 100,000).”
“Between the ages of 25 y and 29 y, black men are killed by police at a rate between 2.8 and 4.1 per 100,000, American Indian and Alaska Native men are killed at a rate between 1.5 and 2.8 per 100,000, Asian/Pacific Islander men are killed by police at a rate between 0.3 and 0.6 per 100,000, Latino men at a rate between 1.4 and 2.2 per 100,000, and white men at a rate between 0.9 and 1.4 per 100,000. Inequalities in risk persist throughout the life course.”
“Our analysis shows that the risk of being killed by police is jointly patterned by one’s race, gender, and age. Police violence is a leading cause of death for young men, and young men of color face exceptionally high risk of being killed by police. Inequalities in risk are pronounced throughout the life course. This study reinforces calls to treat police violence as a public health issue (1, 4). Racially unequal exposure to the risk of state violence has profound consequences for public health, democracy, and racial stratification (5, 7–9, 11).”
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1821204116
Listen to you libs argue…….
Michelle all that noise and not one linkage to crime rates? We all know why you’re avoiding that particular fact. Perhaps people most likely to rob, rape, murder and commit mass shootings SHOULD be in danger from the state?
While you’re arguing here back and forth about who is the Bigger villian? Tom Disantos is relaxing in his Bed in Florida, making laws dehumanizing ALL Blacks.
Let’s say if all of “Yawls” stupid talk had of begun back when you were in Elementary School. There would still be a lot of YOUNG, Middle and Older Black people still alive today. Did you see the video where the Police shot & killed a Double amputee, as he tried to run on the nubs of his knees, trying to get away along side his wheel chair?
Did see the beat down video, of that Highway Patrolman beating a older Black Woman that was mentally disturb, as she was walking along the Freeway? She was awarded $1.5 Million.
https://news.sky.com/story/woman-beaten-by-la-cop-in-video-gets-1-5m-10388591
There goes your theory @Neal?
I consider criminals to be dangerous including criminal cops. Nobody has rebutted my earlier statement using metrics like crime rates. The rebutters use red herring tactics because facts are inconvenient. Denial is a powerful emotion that makes people feel good when presented with uncomfortable facts. Please prove me wrong if you can.
I don’t know about any of the other contributor’s here, but I have to think a patrolman’s job is pretty stressful. Most police stations nation wide have walls with the names and photos of police officers killed in the line of duty (duty described as protecting and serving) many of which died as the result of a traffic stop.
Many if not most police officers go to work with the knowledge that they may not go home to their families alive at the end of the day every day. A simple traffic stop can end it for them as well as the stopped individual. While this in no way excuses atrocities that have taken place and will continue to take place in the deaths of individuals caught in the influence of officers who are a: bad, b:over stressed, c: scared, it should give a little pause to those who demand retribution so quickly.
For my part I can imagine that if I had to approach a car at 11 PM that had a warrant involved, knowing the possibility the driver could have a handgun in his lap, that I would have my piece out with the hammer cocked and the safety off. No question.