Target Apologizes to Black Teens Detained on Theft Suspicion, Promises Racial Bias Training

Target apologized after three teenagers were wrongly detained at its Westlake Village, California, store following a grand theft investigation.

"We want all Target guests to feel welcome and respected whenever they shop in our stores; we're deeply sorry for what happened, and we've terminated the security team member who was involved," said Jenna Reck, a Target spokesperson, in an emailed statement to Newsweek on Monday.

"What happened to these guests is in direct opposition to the inclusive experience we want all our guests to have," Reck added. "Our security team member took action and stopped these guests in violation of Target's security procedures. We expect our team members to follow Target's security processes and treat all guests with respect."

The company also noted that all leaders at the Westlake Village store will be required to retake mandatory security and racial bias training. Target also reached out to the teenagers to offer a personal apology, Reck said.

The teenagers, identified as 17-year-old Malik Aaron, 16-year-olds Gregory Kim and Aaron Frederickson, are Black. They claimed they were victims of racial profiling by Target staff and Los Angeles County deputies.

The teens were walking home after church on January 17 when they decided to stop at Target to purchase snacks.

However, a shoplifting incident occurred while the teens were in the store. The incident included a theft suspect breaking through the glass in the electronics section to steal several smartphones.

Aaron told local California newspaper the Ventura County Star that he and his friends were unaware a shoplifting incident took place while they were in the store.

He added that they decided to leave the store without purchasing anything after an encounter with a Target employee.

"We were being followed in the store by an employee who told us, 'Hey, I can't have you guys loitering,'" Aaron said.

Upon reaching the exit, the teens found it was blocked off with shopping carts. They attempted to exit the store, but Target security staff refused to let them leave while other customers exited without complications, Aaron said.

Three deputies from the Lost Hill Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department later arrived and detained Aaron, Kim and Frederickson at Target's storefront.

Aaron said he tried to record the event on his phone but was stopped by a deputy.

Captain Sal "Chuck" Becerra of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Lost Hill Station verified the teenagers' wrongful detainment in a statement posted to Facebook on Friday. The station later shared the statement in an email to Newsweek on Monday.

"The deputies confirmed a Grand Theft in fact occurred, but their subsequent investigation revealed the young men were not involved; they were released without incident," Becerra said.

The statement added an internal investigation found no evidence of deputies using excessive force or damaging one of the teenager's cellphones, despite concerns made to the department from an unnamed citizen who was not present during the incident.