‘Black Panther’ director Ryan Coogler mistaken for bank robber at Atlanta Bank of America branch

A surreal moment was taken to a whole new level for “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler, when guns were drawn and he was accused of ‘robbing the bank’. Coogler was mistaken for a bank robber at the Bank of America branch near Paces Ferry Road and OK Cafe in Atlanta as he tried to withdraw money from his personal account

The 35-year-old is regarded as one of Hollywood’s most talented creative minds. In Atlanta filming “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, Coogler, entered the BOA branch on Jan. 7 wearing sunglasses, a hat, a hoodie, and a face mask to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

Coogler had all of his credentials, credit card, bank card, withdrawal slip, and driver’s license, which he handed to the teller. Wanting to withdraw a large sum of money from his account, wanting to be safe, and not wanting to draw unwanted attention to his transaction, he wrote a note on the back of his withdrawal slip requesting the teller to be discreet with the transaction.

According to a police report of the incident, the note said, “I would like to withdraw $12,000 cash from my checking account. “Please do the money count somewhere else. I’d like to be discreet.”

The teller, described in the police report as a “pregnant Black female”, misinterpreted the situation as an attempted robbery and ‘discreetly’ alerted her boss and called 911.  Many say that the teller, who was also Black, took one look at Coogler in his wool cap and hoodie and wrongly interpreted the note as a robbery demand. Some point to people being preconditioned to think Black males are doing something wrong; this includes other Blacks 

The video of the incident released by police shows officers approaching an unsuspecting Coogler – with weapons drawn. They ask him to place his hands behind his back. Coogler’s first reaction to seeing the officers and hearing the guns drawn was to say, “Whoa, whoa — what’s going on?” 

Clearly uncertain as to what was occurring, Coogler did not resist the police and complied with their request. He was immediately handcuffed and ‘perp walked’ out of the bank. As he is being led out, a bank employee is overheard telling the officer “good job”. Coogler is then placed in the back seat of a police car. 

In a different video, another officer approaches the vehicle Coogler arrived in and spoke with the driver to alert him that Coogler was being arrested for bank robbery. The driver attempts to tell police they had made a mistake and that Coogler was a movie director withdrawing his own money, but they did not care. We later learn that the driver and Coogler’s nanny, seated in the rear of the car, were both handcuffed and placed into the back seat of other police cars on the scene.   

At some point police are back on video questioning Coogler, asking why he was in the bank, and why he had written a note to the teller. He tells the police that he is a customer making a transaction. He also shares that the only way to get into the bank is by using your bank card at the entry door, which he did.

Many are quick to commend Coogler for keeping a cool head. Throughout the ordeal, he maintained his composure. As he sat in the back seat shaking his head he was clearly shaken by this nightmarish ordeal. At one point he asks the officer to remove his glasses because he was having a panic attack. 

It is unknown how long it took for police to realize the error of their ways, but the next scene shows police trying to explain the mistake in detaining him to which Coogler says, “do we need to do this with me handcuffed and in the back of this police vehicle?”

Police quickly pulled Coogler out of the back seat. Upon being uncuffed, Coogler’s first concern was for his baby’s nanny and his driver who remained handcuffed in other police cars. Coogler tells police that they had never been arrested or in any situation like this and asked that they be uncuffed and released, to which the police complied. 

Coogler can then be heard saying to police, “I ain’t had guns on me in a while, bro. It’s a major problem, man. … I just had guns drawn for taking money out of my own account.” He then asked for the officers’ names and badge numbers.

Later you can see officers trying to apologize and explain why they handled the situation the way they did. As a clearly unhappy Coogler responds to their comments, you can overhear a different officer confrontationally say to him “you don’t have to get an attitude.”

Really…really Mr. Officer? Coogler had done everything you asked without resistance. How dare you challenge him about his attitude.

A spokesman for Bank of America (BOA) confirmed that the incident happened saying, “We deeply regret that this incident occurred. “It never should have happened, and we have apologized to Mr. Coogler.”

Coogler confirmed in a statement that he was detained at a branch in Atlanta saying, “This situation should never have happened. However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction, and we have moved on.”

Coogler may have accepted BOA’s apology, but not many others who heard this peculiar story are not so forgiving. Many took to social media to express their frustration with Bank of America, the teller, and the police. 

Many say they are grateful Coogler was not killed by ‘overzealous police’ and he should never have been placed in that situation. 

Others comment that this moment is their worst fear and that they live with the fact that this could be your last moment on earth as a Black man every time you have an encounter with the police.  

One former BOA worker said hearing-impaired customers always came into the bank and wrote notes to the teller about their account. Never once did they think they were being stuck up.  

Many online believe Coogler was racially profiled. The NAACP agrees and slammed Bank of America for profiling Coogler, who is Black.

“The presumption is always that they’ve done something wrong, he’s here to rob us. He can’t be here to withdraw money that’s his,” said Richard Rose, president of the Atlanta NAACP Branch.

Many agree that proper procedures were not followed by BOA. Their actions caused trauma to Coogler who could have lost his life if he did not comply with the officers who approached him with guns drawn.