With 'four gun barrels' in his face, Iowa football player recounts police encounter
Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But in this situation, a life lesson is learned and shared for others to put into perspective.
Iowa defensive end Faith Ekakitie wrote Wednesday in a note on Facebook that "today was the first time I've truly feared my life, and I have the media to thank for that."
The 6-3, 290-pound senior had just arrived at an Iowa City park to play the popular mobile-gaming app Pokemon Go. Elsewhere in town, a local bank had just been robbed, with the suspect identified as a large black male who was wearing all black and something on his head, Ekakitie's post said.
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Iowa City police noticed Ekakitie, whose clothes matched the armed suspect's description, at the park and took action, Ekakitie said in the post. Sgt. Jorey Bailey said Sunday that the bank robbery had occurred less than a block away from Ekakitie's location.
"The bank robbery call came out, and then two minutes later officers saw this person less than a block away from the bank matching the description." Bailey said.
Wearing his headphones when police approached him, Ekakitie said he didn't realize four officers were behind him. Because he didn't comply, police drew their guns and approached Ekakitie, he said.
"My pockets were checked, my backpack was opened up and searched carefully, and I was asked to lift up my shirt while they searched my waistband," Ekakitie wrote in the post.
Bailey said that was the correct approach for officers.
"It's reasonable given the circumstances that weapons would have still been drawn, given the fact that this person matched the description of an armed bank robber. He was in the area of the bank within two minutes," he said.
Wednesday's incident follows recent fatal shootings of black men by police officers in other states.
Ekakitie wrote that misunderstandings occur, but that it's "extremely sad that our society has brainwashed us all to the point where we can’t feel safe being approached by the police officers in our respective communities.
"Not all police officers are out to get you, but at the same time, not all people who fit a criminal profile are criminals."
Bailey said he doesn't think race played a factor in this particular situation.
"I don't think race played a factor in this, nor does it in circumstances like this because of the detailed description, the location given by the person and the short time span in which this all occurred," Bailey said.
Ekakitie closed his post by thanking the Iowa City Police Department for handling the situation professionally, as well as urging people to learn from his post by being more aware of their surroundings.