A man who says he was targeted due to his race, falsely accused of shoplifting and then slammed to the pavement by an armed security guard has filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against a North Portland bait and tackle store.
Nguyen Cao, 35, seeks $250,000 in damages from Fisherman’s Marine Supply; the guard patrolling the store, Ryan Burroughs; and the security company, Talon Protection Group.
Cao said he was shopping for a new fishing rod at the Delta Park outlet on the evening of Jan. 19 when he was accused of pilfering merchandise and decided to start filming the encounter on his cell phone.
“Either empty your pockets, or get out of the store,” the employee, who isn’t identified in the lawsuit, says in the video.
Cao repeatedly denies stealing anything and offers to turn out his pockets, the video shows, while the store employee tells Cao he needs to leave, regardless. After about a two-minute face-off, a security officer enters the frame and orders Cao to leave, then threatens Cao with force when he turns the camera back on the guard.
“If you turn around again, I’m going to put you on the ground,” the guard says.
The guard grabs Cao by his sweatshirt, according to the video, and as the two enter the parking lot an apparent struggle breaks out, with the camera’s viewpoint shaking and then suddenly dropping to the ground.
The video appears to show the guard...
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