Newly released video captures Black Panther director Ryan Coogler being detained by Atlanta police when he tried to withdraw money from his Bank of America account in January.
In the video, Coogler is seen wearing a black skully hat, dark shades, and a face mask.
After entering the bank, TMZ reports that he gave the teller, who was identified as a Black pregnant woman, a note that read, “I would like to withdraw $12,000 cash from my checking account. Please do the money count somewhere else. I’d like to be discreet.”
“I put my own card in, put my own PIN in. [The teller] asked to see my I.D., I gave it to her, and she goes in the back,” Coogler said in the footage, USA Today reports. “Next thing, I hear glocks getting pulled out.”
Ryan Coogler 911 call clearly shows:
1. Teller admits to receiving ID & NOT looking at it
2. Dispatch sent officers BEFORE receiving all pertinent info & says “none of his information was even verified” & sounded like even she didn’t believe a crime was in progress
Gross pic.twitter.com/OjOtWIiNz1
— 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 (@exavierpope) March 10, 2022
As Blavity previously reported, the police arrived on the scene and arrested the movie director based on the allegations that he was a bank robber.
Police draw firearm on Marvel’s Black Panther director Ryan Coogler before pulling out the handcuffs. Bank of America employee says “Good Job Officer” as they take him out! pic.twitter.com/O8kKGS8gak
— VideoMixtape.com (@VideoMixtape_) March 10, 2022
Video continues to show Coogler talking with law enforcement, explaining the incident, and directing one of the officers to look at his work badge clipped to his pants.
“She got scared when a Black dude handed her a note … I don’t know what else to say,” Coogler continued, according to The New York Times. “If she was scared, she’s got to admit that.”
Bank of America has since apologized to the director.
“We deeply regret that this incident occurred. It never should have happened, and we have apologized to Mr. Coogler,” Bank of America said in a statement, according to the Times.
In a different video released by the police, the teller told the detectives that Coogler kept showing the note and although he gave her his I.D., she said her “stomach started turning” because the computer flagged it as a “high-risk transaction,” according to the Times. She then notified her manager and said, “I don’t feel comfortable about this transaction.”
Coogler released a statement on Wednesday, saying, “This situation should never have happened,” the Times reports. He added that that Bank of America “worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on.”
