'Most humiliating experience of my life:' N. Raleigh homeowner handcuffed, detained after home security false alarm

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Kazeem Oyeneyin has lived in his home in north Raleigh for the past five years and this wasn't the first time his home security system has been tripped by mistake.

Typically, he says, if police show up, you show your ID to prove you're the homeowner; there may be a fine to pay; but it's done.

That is not what happened last Saturday.

Oyeneyin said he was humiliated inside his home by police. He suspects it was because of the color of his skin.

On the audio from the surveillance camera posted at Oyeneyin's front door you can hear the Raleigh Police officer instructing him, "Turn around and face away from me!" Oyeneyin responds, "Why, for what?!"

Oyeneyin is in his boxer shorts in the foyer of his house suddenly staring down the barrel of the officer's gun.

"This was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life," Oyeneyin said in an interview with ABC11 about the incident.

The tape begins around 12:30 p.m., August 17, when officer arrives to Oyeneyin's unlocked front door.

"Hey, if you're inside make yourself known," the officer yells from the doorway, his service weapon drawn.

Raleigh Police radio dispatch reports from that day show the officer was responding a "4-4," police code for a burglar alarm in progress.

Oyeneyin said a friend stayed over that night and tripped the alarm unknowingly when he left. Oyeneyin says he disengaged it and went back to sleep.

"I just laid back down and all I heard was somebody screaming downstairs," he said. "So I grab my firearm because I don't know what's going on. And I run down the stairs and it's a cop."

"Hey come out with your hands up," the officer yells from the door as Oyeneyin is still upstairs.

Oyeneyin tells the officer he has his firearm in his hand. The officer responds, "Drop the gun! Drop the gun," and Oyeneyin immediately puts the weapon on the floor.

INCIDENT ESCALATES

Oyeneyin does have a concealed-carry permit. The 31-year old makes his living as a well-known party and hip-hop concert promoter who's known in the industry as "Tim Boss." But last Saturday, Oyeneyin says the officer refused to believe he lived there.

"Ok come out here. Come out for me," the officer yells. Oyeneyin responds, "What you mean come on out? I got on my drawers!"

The incident continues to escalate as Oyeneyin is ordered to put his hands behind his back and get on his knees.

"We got a 4-4 alarm here. I got an open door. I'm trying to make sure," the officer says to a seemingly exasperated Oyeneyin.

The homeowner responds, "I just talked to the alarm people! I just talked to the alarm people!"

In our interview with Oyeneyin, he explained, "I'm confused why he's still talking. He's asking me if I have ID. I told him yeah. (I just want him to) identify me and get me out of here. I was like, I need a supervisor. I definitely need to see your supervisor because this ain't right."

On the tape, you see at least four other Raleigh police officers arrive on scene. With Oyeneyin in handcuffs, wearing just his underwear, he was escorted outside to a waiting police car.

"What have I done wrong? I have nothing wrong," he can be heard saying as officers walk him outside while other officers searched his house."

'NO REASON' FOR THIS

"It's a lot of stories like this that go untold," said Raleigh community advocate Kerwin Pittman, executive Director of RREPS (Recidivism Reduction Education Program Services).

"There's no reason this man should have been pulled out of his house, not asked for paper ID and it progressed that far. This man was criminalized, humiliated, stigmatized in his own home"

Oyeneyin said, "Being black could definitely be one the issues, the problem. I hope it's not. But if that's what it is, it needs to be resolved."

RPD RESPONDS

Originally Raleigh police spokesperson said: "The Department is looking into this incident and reviewing our officers' actions. We have attempted to contact the homeowner several times over the past few days to discuss this incident with him."

On Aug. 27, Raleigh police posted a new statement on the department's Facebook page:

On August 17, 2019, at 12:26 pm, Emergency Communications received a 911 call from an alarm service indicating an active burglar alarm at 2504 Blooming Street.
An RPD officer arrived within minutes and found the front door ajar. After several attempts to contact anyone within the residence, an unidentified male who was armed with a handgun, came into the officer's view.
While the resident stated he turned off his alarm prior to RPD's arrival, the alarm company never called dispatch to cancel police response. Therefore, officers responded to what they believed was potentially a breaking and entering in progress. Additionally, while responding to the call, the first responding officer was made aware of a prior breaking and entering at this residence.
As indicated on the resident's video, the first responding officer observed the subject with a handgun and directed him to put the gun down and come to the front door. While the subject indicated he lived at the residence, the officer had no way to safely confirm the validity of the statement or check the residence for additional persons until other officers arrived on scene.
Based on all available facts known to the officer at the time, the resident was detained until additional officers arrived and his identity could be confirmed. The resident was detained for approximately 7 minutes while his identity was confirmed.
The Department has reached out to the resident for an interview and we are currently reviewing the incident.

Oyeneyin said what he wants is an apology.

Pittman is calling for disciplinary action against the officer involved.