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A Black woman in Georgia is accusing police of racial profiling after she says an officer followed her through a park, questioned her, and requested her identification while she was out for a walk.
Marrón Bridges, a Sandy Springs resident, shared two videos to social media, documenting her Wednesday (October 7) encounter with police at Morgan Falls Overlook Park.
The footage shows a white male officer following Bridges in his patrol car and asking her to identify herself.
“What are we looking for exactly and why am I being questioned?” Bridges asks in the first video.
In her caption, Bridges said the encounter felt “very violating” and accused officers of racially profiling her. She also questioned why four additional police vehicles arrived during the interaction.
Bridges approached other park visitors and asked them to stay nearby as officers continued questioning her. She said she complied because she feared the encounter could escalate.
In the second video, Bridges expresses frustration that officers have not explained why they are questioning her.
“I’m trying to see what’s going on, and I don’t really understand,” she says. “Nobody is telling me anything … this is quite frankly embarrassing.”
According to the footage, officers eventually tell Bridges they are conducting an investigation in the area and that the park is closed.
Bridges filed an official complaint against the officer, Rough Draft Atlanta reported Friday (October 9).
Noting that Bridges walked into an alleged active police investigation, Sandy Springs Police spokesperson Sgt. Giovanni Gomez told Rough Draft Atlanta, “Sandy Springs is a welcoming community where people are valued and respected and are treated with dignity.”
He added, “Because this is an ongoing criminal investigation, we are unable to comment further at this time.”
Mayor Rusty Paul confirmed Friday that the investigation underway during the encounter remains active, according to Rough Draft Atlanta.
The department has not clarified whether it is conducting an internal review of Bridges’ allegations.
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