Winnipeg Indigenous man believes he is target of racial profiling outside Home Depot

A Winnipeg man says he was the target of racial profiling by police after buying an item at Home Depot. Joseph Bernacki explains.

An Indigenous man in Winnipeg said he was racially profiled at a Regent Ave. Home Depot Wednesday morning after he handcuffed and detained due to a mistaken shoplifting incident.

“I’m still a little bit in shock,” said George Sinclair. “It was just all so fast; I didn’t even realize what was happening.”

Sinclair said he visited the Regent Ave. Home Depot location on Wednesday morning to purchase a leaf blower. He said a staff member went with him to pick up the blower, as it was locked behind a display case, and it was then brought to the front of the store.

Sinclair purchased the item, was handed his receipt and then got into his car in the parking lot. What happened next is something he said was very upsetting and humiliating.

“As soon as I get in my car, I put my car into reverse, and I notice that there’s two cop cars behind me with their lights on,” Sinclair said.

“I put my car into park, and as soon as I do that, my passenger door is ripped open, and a cop jumps in. He grabs me, telling me I’m under arrest for theft.”

Despite having a receipt showing he had paid for the item, another officer entered his vehicle.

“My driver door opens up, the other cop pulls me out, throws me in handcuffs, searches and he throws me in the car, and as soon as that cop opened my door, I already handed him that receipt, but there was no stopping it,” he said.

Sinclair said police looked at the receipt for about five minutes. Before they released him, he said they ran his name to see if he had any outstanding warrants.

“I don’t even have a criminal record,” Sinclair said. “I was treated like an absolute criminal there. It’s embarrassing.”

According to the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba, there are no prior provincial court convictions for Sinclair.

He said he was then released and allowed to leave, without receiving an apology from police or the store over the altercation.

Sinclair told CTV News he believes he was followed around inside the store by a Home Depot employee while looking for the leaf blower.

He paid a return visit to the store on Thursday morning where he spoke with several employees about the situation on Wednesday morning.

“Home Depot told me this morning there was an undercover officer there that followed me,” Sinclair said.

“We take customer complaints seriously,” a statement from Home Depot to CTV News said. “We are aware of an incident at our Regent Avenue store and reviewing the matter internally.”

Winnipeg Police told CTV News a release will be issued regarding the incident and did not respond to specific questions about how Sinclair was treated or why.

The 32-year-old said he wants an explanation from WPS as to what he believes was an incident of racial profiling. He is also asking for a public apology.

“This is embarrassing, honestly,” he said. “I get it; the theft in Winnipeg is so high right now, but do your homework.”