Tyrese and his associates Eric Mora and Manuel Hernandez are allegedly suing the West Hills Home Depot after they accused the retailer of racially profiling them at the Los Angeles store.
Earlier this week, the complaint was filed at LA Superior Court, citing claims of “outrageous discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling.”
In February, the trio went to the store to buy some items. However, Tyrese stayed in the car to avoid causing a distraction. Tyrese allegedly gave his credit card to the workers for the payment and told the cashier that his associates would complete the transaction. Shortly after, a Home Depot employee allegedly refused to finish the purchase even after Tyrese returned.
“The cashier gave no reasonable explanation other than repeating ‘store policy’ and demanded to see a form of identification,” the lawsuit reads. “The manager refused to speak with Gibson in person. It was only after a significant heated discussion with the cashier that Gibson was finally able to complete the transaction.”
Part of the heated encounter was captured on video and later posted online.
The three seek $1 million in damages to reflect Tyrese’s Home Depot purchase, along with punitive damages, legal fees, and statutory damages. They also request a declaratory judgment that Home Depot’s actions violated California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, and disability.
