Black Man, Wrongfully Detained By Maskless Virginia Beach Police Officer, Tests Positive For COVID-19
A Black man who was detained earlier this month in Virginia Beach, Va. by a police officer who was not wearing a mask, has now tested positive for COVID-19.
Shantel Covil told WAVY.com that her fiancé, Jamar Mackey, took a COVID-19 test on Dec. 22 that came back positive two days later on Christmas Eve. She says she believes he was exposed during the incident at the mall although this has not been confirmed.
“I’m very angry that they put my family at risk. Me and Jamar, that’s one thing but our kids, that’s what upsets me the most,” Covil said.
Since then, Mackey has been self-quarantining at home with mild symptoms that include a “low grade fever, a cough, and a sore throat."
Covil and the two children that she shares with Mackey have been tested and are currently awaiting their results as of Tuesday (Dec. 29) evening.
A video of Mackey’s Dec. 19 detainment went viral after Mackey was wrongfully detained and put in handcuffs by a police officer who wore no mask or gloves during the encounter. Mackey, Covil, and their two children were sitting at a table at the food court in Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach when the officer approached him about a stolen truck saying, “I want to talk to you, OK?”
While being detained, Mackey told the police sergeant, “Y’all got the wrong person. We don’t even have a black truck.”
Mackey then said, “You’re going to do this in public, make me walk outside in front of my family?” as he is led in handcuffs through the food court and out of the front door where other officers are waiting.
After getting on his radio and learning that Mackey is indeed the wrong suspect, the officer removed the handcuffs and explained to Mackey that he matched the description of a credit card fraud suspect who had dreadlocks and was wearing all black clothing.
“I sincerely apologize,” the sergeant said. “It was a complete misunderstanding.”
The police chief also apologized during a press conference following the incident and promised that the department would do an internal review to see whether or not the officer’s actions were justified. Meanwhile, on the same, day, another suspect was arrested in connection with the stolen credit cards.
According to WVEC, the Virginia Beach Police Department has yet to confirm if the officer involved in the incident has tested positive for COVID-19.
