In today’s day and age, thanks to the advancement of technology and everyone always being on their cell phones, racist acts across the country are surfacing more frequently. Well, meet Don Crandall, the latest man to be exposed in the world of social media.
A group of black students at Florida A&M University was waiting to enter the Stadium Center student accommodation last weekend. They were waiting for their friend to let them into the building when Crandall stepped in and a heated exchange ensued. At that point, Crandall pulls out a gun during the argument.
He told the students that they “didn’t belong” in the building.
“Find another elevator, you can’t get in this one,’ Crandall can be heard saying as he blocks their way into the building,” Crandall can be heard saying. “Because you don’t belong in this building. You ain’t got a key for the building, you don’t belong in the elevator.”
The altercation was caught on camera and shared online by student Isaiah Butterfield, who was in the group of students that was confronted.
Butterfield shared the video online with the caption:
“These are the kind of people that are burning Nike products , we are sick of the discrimination 🗣 never thought I’d have a personal experience with racism like this, this man pulled a gun on us because we were walking up to my friends apartment w/o a key.”
https://twitter.com/_IsaiahNoThomas/status/1038447860054990848
“Once we found out he had the gun, it turned into a whole different situation,” Butterfield told ABC News. “We really think he was trying to provoke us to the point where it got violent so he could retaliate with the gun. I knew that if this dude even feels threatened, he’s going to find any excuse to pull the trigger.”
The apartment building the students were trying to get into responded with a statement.
“We are aware of the video posted on social media over the weekend and reported this incident immediately to the police,” the statement read.
“Firearms are strictly prohibited on our property and we take this matter very seriously. We are cooperating with the police during their investigation and it has been determined that the person in the elevator is not a resident. Moreover, we are firmly committed to fostering a diverse residential community that is inclusive and welcoming to all.”
Crandwall has since been identified as the general manager of local hotel Baymont by Wyndham. He is reportedly no longer employed by the hotel because he “does not represent the values of our company and how others should be treated.”
