Body camera footage shows an Atlanta police officer drawing his gun and detaining Black Panther director Ryan Coogler after a bank teller mistook the filmmaker for a robber.
The incident happened in January at a Bank of America branch in Atlanta, where Coogler is filming the sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The writer and director was wearing a hoodie, sunglasses, a cap, and face mask per COVID protocols. He handed the teller a withdrawal slip with a note on the back, according to a police report obtained by TMZ.
The note read: “I would like to withdraw $12,000 cash from my checking account. Please do the money count somewhere else. I’d like to be discreet.”
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The teller became suspicious and alerted authorities about an attempted robbery.
“Hey, sir do me a favor. Come this way,” an officer can be heard saying in the video. The director was confused but remained calm.
“I just can’t believe this,” he said before telling the two responding officers, “I have a work badge on that will tell you everything about me.”
Two people in an SUV waiting outside for Coogler were detained as well as the famed director.
According to the police report, the teller said when she input the transaction into her computer, the system triggered an alert. She then told her boss Coogler was attempting to rob the bank and they called the police.
The Black Panther director and the two others were released. Both the police and Coogler said it was a huge mistake. The police report states the Oscar-nominated filmmaker asked for the responding officers’ badge numbers.
“This situation should never have happened. However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on,” the 35-year-old director said in a statement to TMZ on Wednesday
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