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Grammy-winning musician Wyclef Jean was handcuffed and briefly detained in West Hollywood early Tuesday morning by Sheriff's deputies who mistook him for a suspect in a nearby robbery.
“L.A., right now, coming from the studio with T-Baby. Y’all see the police have handcuffs on me," Jean said in a video posted to Twitter at 2:11 a.m. on Tuesday morning. "They just took off my Haitian bandanna. That’s what’s going on right now with Wyclef in L.A. right now. The L.A.P.D. have me in cuffs for absolutely nothing," he continued.
Jean can be seen with his hands behind his back, standing in front of a patrol car with its lights on in the 18-second video. City News Service reports that Jean was detained for about six minutes.
LAPD another case of mistaken identity. Black man with red bandana robbed a gas station as I was in the studio working but im in handcuffs? pic.twitter.com/vjRfJUkooA
— Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) March 21, 2017
The officers who detained Jean were actually members of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (West Hollywood falls under their jurisdiction), not the LAPD. The incident occurred at a gas station on the Sunset Strip near the intersection of San Vicente Boulevard, according to CBS 2, who report that Sheriff's deputies were responding to a report of an armed robbery nearby. Jean's vehicle and the red bandana he was wearing apparently matched the description given by the victim, leading the deputies to question Jean.
"Did you give them the address to the studio?" Jean can be heard asking the person filming in a second video that he posted to Instagram. "Just so y'all know, I'm going to sue the LAPD," Jean adds.
CBS 2 reports that the correct suspect was eventually arrested, and authorities recovered the stolen wallet.
Why am I in Handcuffs!!!!!????? This is what I said to the LAPD after they put me in Handcuffs… https://t.co/accbcWuAYe
— Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) March 21, 2017
I was asked by the police to Put my hands up. Then I was told do not move. I was instantly hand cuffed before being asked to identify myself
— Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) March 21, 2017
Nor was I told why I was being cuffed. In the process I said my name and told them they have wrong person.
— Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) March 21, 2017
They proceeded to ignore me and I was treated like a criminal until other police showed up and pointed out they had wrong person.
— Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) March 21, 2017
I am sure no father wants his sons or daughters to see him in Handcuffs especially if he is innocent.
— Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) March 21, 2017
As some one who has law enforcers in my family, I was appalled by this behavior of the LAPD.
— Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) March 21, 2017
We reached out to the West Hollywood Sheriff's station for comment and will update the story when we hear back.