Mom thinks son targeted by officer in stun gun incident
Nov 14, 2024
SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — WREG is continuing to seek records and bodycam video of an incident involving a Southaven Police officer allegedly pointing a stun gun at a 9-year-old.
The child's mother maintains her son is still traumatized, but he's getting support, even from police officers.
WREG was the first to share the words of Ahmar Anderson, after he claimed a Southaven Police Officer threatened him with a stun gun the night of Nov. 7 outside his Civic Center Apartment.
"... and then pulled out his weapon and ran past my mom and and like pointed his gun at me," Ahmar said.
MS family says officer pointed stun gun at 9-year-old
Southaven Police have admitted the officer mistook Ahmar for a robbery suspect described as a "heavy set male wearing a sweatshirt and blue jeans."
That's nothing close to the purple and white letterman jacket Ahmar was wearing that night.
Ahmar's mom says her son was targeted because of his size and race.
"I know my son is a little larger than the average 9-year-old, I get it all the time, but it brought up a lot of fear because he is going to be a Black man in society," Shaquita Anderson Wade said.
According to police, the officer quickly realized Ahmar was not the suspect, and the interaction between the two lasted just a few seconds.
Police admit mistaking 9-year-old for armed robbery suspect
Since the alleged incident Ahmar has been showered with support. His mom shared this photo of a school resource officer with Ahmar the following day.
"I just wanted my son to be able to feel like I can still go to the cops even if something bad was to happen. I want my son to feel safe calling the authority if he ever needed help," Anderson Wade said.
WREG has filed a Public Records Request to see the body cam footage from the night in question, but we're told we can't right now because the matter is still under investigation.
Southaven PD did not confirm whether the officer pointed a Taser at the boy.
The robbery suspect was apprehended.