Update (April 15, 2021): A large group of Black Lives Matter protesters gathered outside of Sgt. Jonathan Pentland’s home Wednesday evening in the outskirts of Columbia, South Carolina.
Pentland, a U.S. Army first class drill sergeant, was seen in the same neighborhood shoving and yelling expletives at a young Black man in a video that surfaced on Monday.
The 43-year-old has since been arrested and charged with third-degree assault, according to CBS News. The outlet also reported that the Army officer was issued a personal recognizance bond and listed as detained in the Richland County jail.
Following the incident where Pentland berated the Black man known as Deandre, saying, “you're in the wrong neighborhood motherf**ker,” video footage shows dozens of protesters rallying with megaphones and BLM signs.
“All lives are not at stake. All lives are not under a threat. All lives are not being shot down,” a protester said through the megaphone. “It’s Black lives, and it’s not just Black lives, but for the most part, it’s Black people.”
“Take ownership of yourself, take ownership of your community,” he added before what sounds like glass breaking causes the recording to end abruptly.
According to News19, protestors journeyed from as far as Charleston and Greenville to make their voices heard.
"I came out today as I wanted to make my voice heard, so people know this is not OK,” Jasmine James, a resident of the neighborhood told News19. “We are simply trying to exist and be a part of America like everyone else."
In a statement to Blavity, Fort Jackson Commander Brig. Gen. Milford Beagle, Jr. said that the incident is not representative of the Fort Jackson base, where Pentland has been stationed since 2019.
"The leaders at Fort Jackson in no way condone the behavior depicted in the video posted recently," the statement reads. "This action deeply impacts our community–the neighbors in the Summit, the city of Columbia, Richland & Lexington counties, and our Army family. I ask that our communities and leaders exercise a degree of patience, affording Sheriff Lott and law enforcement investigators to account for the full measure of events before, during, and after the incident that was recorded."
The U.S.Department of Justice is also looking into the incident, according to the statement.
"I remain deeply concerned for the members of our Army family, the young man and his family, and the tensions that activities like this amplify over time; please be patient as facts are determined," Beagle added.
Original story (April 14, 2021): Jonathan Pentland, a U.S. Army sergeant first class, is being investigated after he was seen pushing, threatening and yelling at a young Black man in a South Carolina neighborhood. Officials launched an investigation after a video of the incident surfaced on Facebook on Monday, Heavy reported. Social media users contributed to the investigation by identifying the sergeant on Tuesday.
According to the now-deleted photos on his unit’s Facebook page, the 42-year-old is based at Fort Jackson in Columbia.
"Fort Jackson officials are aware of the video and it has our full attention," Leslie Ann Sully, Fort Jackson media relations officer, said in a statement to Blavity. "This type of behavior is not consistent with our Army Values and will not be condoned. We have begun our own investigation and are working with the local authorities."
The young man seen in the video is identified as Deandre. Columbia resident, Shirell Johnson, who posted the video, said Deandre was walking on a public sidewalk in the Lakes at Barony Place development in the Summit neighborhood of Columbia when he encountered the sergeant.
Social media users were outraged as they saw Pentland telling Deandre to leave the neighborhood. The 42-year-old also questioned the young man when he said he lives in the neighborhood.
Fort Jackson Commanding General Milford Beagle Jr. said, “this is by no means condoned by any service member.”
Johnson said she was walking in the neighborhood with a friend when she saw the incident unfolding on Monday. Johnson said the video was recorded by another woman named Shadae McCallum.
“She saw the young man in distress and knew he didn’t do anything wrong so she started videoing for his safety! (Smart girl❤️). She sent me the video last night and I got the ok to post it,” Johnson wrote on Facebook. “I have been in contact with both D (as I call him now) to check on him and the young lady Shadae who did the video. Both are doing ok but still processing. Last night we all bonded bc we noticed a young man in distress and he happened to be black!”
McCallum also posted the video to Twitter and described the incident in more detail.
“I went for a walk yesterday evening and I encountered a young man (Deandre)in distress," she wrote. "I decided to record the incident in order to protect this Black man from possibly becoming a statistic. There was also a part that I didn’t record of the taller man slapping the phone out of Deandre’s hands and stepping on it. The taller man also pushed Deandre several times off camera.”
According to McCallum, an officer who responded to the scene said Pentland could only be charged with malicious intent to property.
"Although I’m so thankful that Deandre was able to make it home safely, this situation was surreal," McCallum wrote. "It’s one thing to watch these type of incidents on video but it’s another to watch it happen right in front of you. I’m also thankful for the two ladies that came up and took Deandre in another direction to safety."
The video begins with Pentland telling Deandre to “Go away right now.” As Deandre then tells Pentland to call the police if he wants, the sergeant's wife, Cassie, says they’ve already been called. The confrontation continues with the couple telling the young man that he was “picking fights” with people in the neighborhood.
“What is it that you are doing here?” Pentland asked. "You're in the wrong neighborhood motherf**ker."
As Deandre tells them that he is walking back to his house, the wife says, “Well you’ve been here like 15 minutes now.”
“Right now you are harassing the neighborhood. We are a tight-knit community. We take care of each other. … I have never seen you before in my life,” Pentland said as the back-and-forth continued.
He also threatened Deandre, saying “Check it out motherf**ker I’m not playing with you. You either get your ass moving or I’m going to move you. … I’m about to show you what I can do. You better walk away. Walk away.”
A video posted to Twitter on Wednesday showed protesters gathering at the home of the sergeant, challenging him to come out and talk. The protesters also demanded for Pentland to be fired.
HAPPENING NOW: Protesters are here at the home of one man (confirmed he’s stationed at Fort Jackson) who in a video was getting into an argument with another man. We are working to get the video for you. Expecting a news conference shortly. @wachfox
pic.twitter.com/qU6yN9J8Xq— Sooji Nam (@sooji_namtv) April 14, 2021
While it's unclear what disciplinary actions, if any, are being taken, Beagle told Blavity that he is thankful for the community bringing it to his attention and "we will get to the bottom of this ASAP."
