Police Handcuff 12-Year-Old Taking Out Trash In Lansing

LANSING, MI — A 12-year-old boy taking out the trash was handcuffed by an officer who mistook him for a fleeing suspect, leaving the Lansing police chief apologizing and the child's family considering their legal options.

Tashawn Bernard was near the dumpster in his apartment complex Thursday when an officer approached him, holding a gun, an attorney for the family said.

A video of the incident circulated on social media, showing the boy handcuffed while his father stood by, distressed and speaking with officers. The child was released after several minutes, the recording showed.

"When it happened, I was really, like, shocked and frightened about like the situation, and how it happened," Bernard, who is Black, told “Good Morning America.”

The pre-teen is traumatized and afraid to go outside, according to the family’s lawyers, who said the Bernards were considering whether to file a lawsuit.

"In this time and era in America, I am scared for anything to happen to my son," Tashawn Bernard's father, Michael Bernard, told the news program.

The incident — which police have characterized as “wrong place, wrong time” — occurred as officers were investigating a vehicle theft in the 3600 block of West Jolly Road involving a suspect wearing neon shorts and a white shirt, according to authorities.

An officer saw a person who matched the description but the person fled into a nearby apartment complex, police said. Then, a different officer saw Tashawn Bernard, who was wearing a similar outfit, according to police. The child was near the trash area but had already disposed of any garbage when the officer made contact with him, police said.

“As the Chief of Police, I want to apologize that this incident had such an effect on this young man and his family,” Chief Ellery Sosebee said in a prepared statement. “I’m asking for the community to consider all the facts of the situation before making a judgment. The relationship with our community has been and will continue to be a top priority for the Lansing Police Department.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.