---
[ LOS ANGELES ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles)
# California Target Apologizes After Black Teens Were Wrongfully Accused of Theft, Handcuffed and Detained
January 25 2021
Written by Zack Linly.
[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
**WHY BLACK LIVES MATTER**-Racial profiling often seems like some kind of perverse rite of passage that young Black people have to go through in America (and likely, everywhere else in the world where Black people exist) as a part of growing up.
A California Target has apologized after two Black teenagers were handcuffed and another was detained in the store because they were associated with other Black people who were accused of shoplifting. The mother of one of the teens, who [filmed part of the incident](https://www.alliesforblackamericans.com/post/call-to-action-aaron-s-case?fbclid=IwAR2h7jjNzc0vuKlfk36fZZUoiZwMZIgh47Brs8eoMgywL-_W2LytJMFUhpU), said the apology isn’t enough. *(Photo above:* *Malik Aaron, 17, talks to reporters about the incident at Westlake Village, Calif., Target in which he and two of his friends were handcuffed and detained by sheriff’s deputies after being wrongfully accused of being involved in a theft at the store.Screenshot: WTVM 9)*
The Los Angeles Times [reports](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-23/target-apologizes-after-black-teens-apprehended-westlake-village?_amp=true&__twitter_impression=true) that the Westlake Village, Calif., Target said one of the security staffers involved in the altercation has been fired and other employees at the store have been required to retake security and racial bias training after the incident in which Black teens went into the store for snacks and left with a reminder that being innocent of wrongdoing while Black doesn’t mean they won’t be targeted (no pun intended).
La Shaun Aaron, mother of 17-year-old Malik Aaron, one of the handcuffed teens, accused both the store employees and the deputies who responded to the call of racial profiling and said they took her son “outside of the store in handcuffs, which is totally humiliating, infuriating, embarrassing and traumatic.”
Here’s what happened as reported by the Times: [*(Read the rest.)* ](https://www.theroot.com/california-target-apologizes-after-black-teens-were-wro-1846125307?utm_source=theroot_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2021-01-25)
*-cw*
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/115 "Brian Goldsmith Vertical R. Col")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/107 "LA DWP | Save $4K, Green | Priority Ad")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/114 "McKinney Campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Power Savers)")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/98 "Donna Tryfman - HS1-1")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/97 "Home - LA DWP #2 (Pay Water Bill Help)")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/111 "David DeJute Campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/112 "Anna Reitano Vertical R. Col")
## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays
Name
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/113 "Rhonda Haymon campaign")
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/component/banners/click/110 "Something You Should Know")
---
## Featured CityWatch Stories
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33624-prosecutor-democrat-city-attorney-mckinney-makes-his-case-to-los-angeles-voters)
### [Prosecutor, Democrat, City Attorney? McKinney Makes His Case to Los Angeles Voters](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/election-2024/33624-prosecutor-democrat-city-attorney-mckinney-makes-his-case-to-los-angeles-voters)
ELECTION 2026 - The race for LA City Attorney has been laced with political accusations and allegations that when close…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/la-watchdog/33544-the-la-watchdogs-2026-voters-guide-2)
### [The LA Watchdog’s 2026 Voter Guide](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/la-watchdog/33544-the-la-watchdogs-2026-voters-guide-2)
LA WATCHDOG - My recommendations are influenced by the need for truly balanced budgets, fiscal responsibility, long ter…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33626-the-fools-blame-game)
### [The Fools’ Blame Game](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33626-the-fools-blame-game)
THE VIEW FROM HERE - Angelenos do not use elections to plot a wiser course of conduct for Los Angeles, but rather they…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33619-california-film-tax-credits-arent-enough-the-guilds-need-to-change-too)
### [California Film Tax Credits Aren’t Enough. The Guilds Need to Change Too.](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33619-california-film-tax-credits-arent-enough-the-guilds-need-to-change-too)
LONNIE’S VIEW - California used to be the center of the movie and television universe. If you wanted to make movies, yo…
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33648-heres-what-zionisms-got-to-do-with-it)
### [Here’s What Zionism’s Got To Do With It](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/voices/33648-heres-what-zionisms-got-to-do-with-it)
ICAN - The anonymous website “BHUSD Watch” recently published a long, detailed article about the current BHUSD board an…
---
## [ LOS ANGELES ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles)
### [Cold War House in LA](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33669-cold-war-house-in-la)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33637-getting-housing-projects-through-los-angeles-permitting-and-land-use-approvals)### [Getting Housing Projects Through Los Angeles Permitting and Land-Use Approvals](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33637-getting-housing-projects-through-los-angeles-permitting-and-land-use-approvals)
### [JAY on LA 10-28-26](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33630-jay-on-la-10-28-26)
### [JAY ON LA for 10-26-26](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33629-jay-on-la-for-10-26-26)
[  ](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33616-from-dreams-to-careers-pasadena-summit-opens-doors-for-la-county-youth)### [From Dreams to Careers: Pasadena Summit Opens Doors for LA County Youth](https://ded2209.inmotionhosting.com/~citywa9/los-angeles/33616-from-dreams-to-careers-pasadena-summit-opens-doors-for-la-county-youth)