Tyrese Gibson Files $1 Million Lawsuit Against Home Depot Over Alleged Racial Profiling
Tyrese Gibson has filed a lawsuit against The Home Depot, alleging that he was subjected to racial profiling during a shopping incident at a West Hills, California, store earlier this year.
According to court documents filed on Wednesday (Aug 9) in L.A. Superior Court, Gibson and two associates, Eric Mora, and Manuel Hernandez, claimed that on Feb 11 they “experienced outrageous discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling first-hand.”
The lawsuit states that Gibson decided to wait in his vehicle while the other two men completed their transaction with his credit card. Gibson had excited the store earlier after fans of the singer started to notice he was in the store.
The “Baby Boy” star reportedly told the cashier of his plans. According to the suit, "Gibson asked the cashier if the cashier needed anything further from him to complete the transaction. The cashier said no, and that Gibson could leave."
However, the store associate apparently refused to complete the transaction, even after the actor called on FaceTime and even returned to the store to complete the order.
"The cashier gave no reasonable explanation other than repeating 'store policy' and demanded to see a form of identification," the complaint stated. "The manager refused to speak with Gibson in person. It was only after a significant heated discussion with the cashier that Gibson was finally able to complete the transaction."
A spokesperson for Home Depot released a statement.
“Diversity and respect for all people are core to who we are, and we do not tolerate discrimination in any form. We value Mr. Gibson as a customer, and in the months since this happened, we've reached out to him and his attorneys several times to try to resolve his concerns. We will continue to do so," the statement noted.
The trio has requested $1 million in damages, a sum the “Fast and Furious” star claims is reflective of his expenditures at the home improvement company over the years.
Additionally, the group is seeking statutory damages, attorney's fees, punitive damages, a declaratory judgment affirming Home Depot's violation of California's Unruh Civil Rights Act, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, and any other appropriate relief that the Court deems fitting and fair.
