ICYMI Wyclef Jean was handcuffed by police when mistaken for armed robber

This was a big mess-up.

Wyclef Jean was handcuffed after police confused him for an armed robbery suspect. The incident occurred in Los Angeles early yesterday morning (March 21).

Jean, who first achieved fame as a member of the Fugees and subsequently had a successful solo career, took to social media to document his side of the events.

The singer/rapper uploaded videos from the scene to Twitter and Instagram. In one of the clips, Jean says that “the LAPD have me in ‘cuffs for absolutely nothing” while another shows him trying to explain to the authorities that he is “recording artist”.

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

 

Why am I in Handcuffs!!!!!????? This is what I said to the LAPD after they put me in Handcuffs for mistaken identity !!!!!!!

A post shared by Wyclef Jean (@wyclefjean) on Mar 21, 2017 at 4:52am PDT

 

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 and before being told why. In the process I said my name and told them they have wrong person. They proceeded to ignore me and I was treated like a criminal. I am sure no father wants his sons or daughters to see him in Handcuffs especially if he is innocent. As some one who has law enforcers in my family, I was appalled by the bahavior of the LAPD.

A post shared by Wyclef Jean (@wyclefjean) on Mar 21, 2017 at 6:23am PDT

Jean also talked about the incident in a series of subsequent tweets, in which he claimed he was “instantly handcuffed before being asked to identify myself” and was “treated like a criminal until other police showed up and pointed out they had wrong person.”

He added: “I am sure no father wants his sons or daughters to see him in Handcuffs especially if he is innocent… As some one who has law enforcers in my family, I was appalled by this behavior of the LAPD.”

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

A spokesperson for the LAPD has told NBC News that police were looking for “an armed black male wearing a gray- or dark-colored hoodie with a red bandana” who had robbed a nearby gas station and suggest that the case of mistaken identity was due to Jean also wearing a red bandana. CBS Los Angeles reports that a suspect was later arrested with the gun thought to have been used in the robbery.

Via NME