A woman now identified as Michelle Bishop, racially profiled Mike Jenkins, a Black real estate developer in Ohio, after accusing him of trespassing as his own home.
In a viral video shared earlier this month from the November 2024 incident, Bishop was seen on Jenkins’ Ring camera with her young children. She assumed she was being followed by him until he pulled into the driveway. She rang the bell and questioned if he lived there. After confirming that it was his home, she then replied, “I don’t believe that.” Jenkins’ wife came outside to deescalate the situation.
Not long after the video was shared, Bishop issued a statement on Facebook denouncing that she’s racist. “I will not apologize for making any sort of racist remark. I’m the furthest thing from a racist. I will however apologize that my expression could ever come across in such a way that somebody could think that about myself and my family,” she said.
After getting doxxed following a slew of backlash though, Bishop issued her tearful apology.
She confessed that she overreacted. “I literally thought he was a white man […] I’m sorry if I ever offended you. I apologized multiple times and it was never accepted,” she stated. Bishop discussed how she had to make her social media pages private. “I’m sorry that I didn’t think more of how they felt in the moment and my reaction.”
Jenkins took to his own Instagram, praising his ability to “handle the situation with grace.”
“Looking back at the video, I’m proud of myself,” he stated. “Not just for the success I’ve achieved but for the growth I’ve experienced. I’m proud that even in the hardest moments, I was able to handle the situation with grace and not spaz out, when it could have been so easy to lose control. That’s the growth I’ve worked for, and it shows me how far I’ve come.”
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