NYT bestselling author Tomi Adeyemi details police encounter that left her in tears
New York Times bestselling author Tomi Adeyemi just detailed a harrowing experience where four white police officers showed up at her home on Thursday, asking to speak to someone inside. According to Adeyemi, she immediately asked if the officers had a warrant when one of them responded threatening to return with a warrant and rip the hinges off her door.
Adeyemi, author of the novel, “Children of Blood and Bone,” says that the police later informed her that they wanted to see if someone in the home could help with an ongoing investigation. She asked about the initial threat to her door and was told the officer never made the remark. In true 2018 fashion, Adeyemi videotaped the encounter.
She further explained to the officers that her distress was based on seeing four white cops with guns at her door to which one of them conceded that nothing they said was ever based on race.
“At this point I had to take a moment to myself. I sat on my floor and cried but I was hoping—HOPING—this could be aa teachable moment for them.
Detailing her story in the Twitter thread, the 25-year old writer explains how seeing police officers mishandle and kill Black people for with little or no cause during the last two years has put her (and many others) on high alert. She was further enraged and disappointed after the officer, who allegedly lobbed the initial threat, put the focus back on himself.
https://twitter.com/tomi_adeyemi/status/1017501454343405568
so at the end of this encounter i pulled myself together and tried to explain AGAIN how every day for the past two years I’ve seen pictures and videos of white men with badges like theirs and guns like theirs murder and assault innocent black people.
(5/?)
— TOMI (@tomi_adeyemi) July 12, 2018
and just to be clear, i am okay. i am sharing this because writing is how I process and get through trauma.
i am not going to let that bastard ruin my day or my weekend or my life.
but THIS is what is happening every single day.
to men.
women.
CHILDREN.#ThisIsAmerica
— TOMI (@tomi_adeyemi) July 12, 2018
“I wish the public would stop focusing on the negative. It’s such a small percentage of the police force. I get discriminated against all the time,” Adeyemi posted of his response to her.
No further word on whether or not Adeyemi will issue a formal complaint.
