by Mitti Hicks

August 8, 2024

Beloved Black-owned Nonprofit in Mississippi Secures $2.2 Million Grant

The Delta Regional Authority and the U.S. Economic Development Administration awarded Higher Purpose Co. a $2.2 million grant.

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The Delta Regional Authority and the U.S. Economic Development Administration has received a $2.2 million grant to Higher Purpose Co., a Black-owned nonprofit in Mississippi that enhances the financial, physical, and cultural well-being of Mississippi Residents. The money will be used to develop the Higher Purpose Hub in Clarksdale

“We are honored to receive this significant grant from the Delta Regional Authority and the Economic Development Administration,” said Dr. Tim Lampkin, founder and CEO of Higher Purpose Co, in a statement. “This funding will advance our mission of improving economic opportunity in Mississippi. The vibrant renovation of the Higher Purpose Hub will not only provide essential services and business resources but will also create jobs, increase access to fresh food, and elevate arts/culture programming. We are excited to continue our purpose-driven work and this grant is a major step in making our collective vision a reality.”

Founded in 2016, Higher Purpose Co. is a nationally recognized nonprofit committed to enhancing intergenerational economic opportunity across Mississippi. The organization focuses on Black communities impacted by poverty and works to increase business ownership, and address food injustices, assist people with learning skills for the workforce.

According to data from Eurasia Review, Mississippi is the poorest state in the United States. In 2023, more than 18% of the population lived below the poverty line—basically one in five residents—compared to the national poverty average of nearly 12%. Mississippi is also the hungriest state in the U.S. In 2022, food insecurity statewide averaged a little more than 15% compared to the national average of 10%. 

Once the historic building is renovated, it will serve as an economic opportunity center. The hub will offer innovative services, create jobs, improve access to fresh food, and amplify arts and culture programming, which staff believes are essential for positive outcomes for Mississippi residents.

According to its website, Higher Purpose Co. has created and retained more than 400 jobs statewide and impacted thousands through its Civil Rights Education programming since its launch.

• News

by Shanique Yates

August 8, 2024

Milwaukee Hotel Employees Indicted in D’Vontaye Mitchell Death Case

Four Milwaukee hotel employees have been charged in connection with the death of D'Vontaye Mitchell.

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Four Milwaukee hotel employees have been charged in connection with the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell.

Among those charged by prosecutors are hotel security guard Todd Erickson, front desk worker Devin Johnson-Carson, Herbert Williamson, a bellhop, and security guard Brandon Turner. It is not clear if the four individuals have attorneys, but according to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office, arrest warrants were issued for the employees, NBC News reports.

In a criminal complaint, all four of the Milwaukee hotel employees have been accused of dragging Mitchell out of the Hyatt Hotel on June 30.

The incident occurred after Mitchell entered a women’s restroom and was held on his stomach for roughly nine minutes by the employees. According to one of the employees, Mitchell repeatedly begged for help and could be seen struggling to breathe. 

An official autopsy revealed that Mitchell suffered from morbid obesity and had ingested cocaine and methamphetamine at the time of his death. Moreover, the county medical examiner confirmed that he died of “restraint asphyxia,” and had he been turned on his side during the incident with the employees, he may have lived. 

Mitchell, a Black man, has been likened to George Floyd, who died similarly in 2020 after he was pinned to the ground by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin despite screaming out “I can’t breathe” several times.

Per the court documents, surveillance video pulled from the hotel shows a frantic Mitchell entering the hotel lobby and a gift shop before entering the women’s bathroom. Within seconds, Turner, who was off-duty but visiting staff, is seen dragging Mitchell out of the bathroom by his shirt. As they struggle, Turner is then seen punching Mitchell and knocking him to the ground before punching him six times and dragging him out of the hotel with the help of a bystander. 

Once Mitchell tried to reenter the hotel, Williamson, Johnson-Carson, and Erickson, the security manager working at the time, joined the group. Turner and Mitchell can be seen holding Mitchell down on his stomach for about eight to nine minutes before authorities and first responders arrived on the scene. Mitchell can be seen attempting to break free several times. However, once Erickson hits him with a baton, as seen in the video footage, he stops moving.

According to Erickson, Mitchell was strong, and in addition to resisting them, he attempted to bite them. He stands firm in saying that he never intended to hurt or harm Mitchell.

“All of these facts, the gasping, the actions and words of DM, the distress that he was in, show that all four Defendants were aware that holding DM face first on the ground was ‘practically certain’ to cause impairment of his physical condition,” read the complaint.

At this time, civil rights attorney Ben Crump is a part of the team of lawyers representing Mitchell’s family. He says that a video making its way around social media, recorded by a bystander, shows the security guards placing their knees into both Mitchell’s neck and back.

Mitchell’s wife questions why it took so long for charges to be brought in connection to her husband’s death.

“These people are on camera taking my husband’s life,” said DeAsia Harmon. “They should have been charged the moment they did that.”

At this time, Aimbridge Hotel, the company responsible for managing the Hyatt hotel, says that several employees involved in Mitchell’s death have been fired.

“Our hearts are with Mr. Mitchell’s family and loved ones as this case moves forward,” said the company in a statement released Tuesday (August 6) evening.

All four hotel employees could face up to 15 years and nine months in prison if convicted.

RELATED CONTENT: California Man Convicted Of Murder After Killing Girlfriend And Leaving Her 4 Children To Die

• Celebrity News

by Black Enterprise

August 8, 2024

Future, Metro Boomin’ Turn Up In Atlanta For ‘We Trust You Tour’

The duo is currently on a 22-city tour that will continue until September 9 when it ends in Vancouver, British Columbia. 

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Atlanta-bred rapper Future and Atlanta transplant Metro Boomin took the stage in the Georgia city at the State Farm Arena on August 8 after hitting the road for their “We Trust You Tour.”

Atlanta fans came out in droves—and turned up to the set which lasted shy of two hours.

The 22-city tour kicked off in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 22 and will continue until September 9, when the tour ends in Vancouver, British Columbia. 

“I’m always excited to connect with my fans. We’re ecstatic to bring our latest project to life through this tour. The “WeTrust You Tour is an opportunity to share all the music Metro and I have collaborated on with our fans…and much more,” said Future in a written statement.

With many tracks that the duo has collaborated on, there will be a plethora of songs performed from the projects, “We Don’t Trust You,” which was released on March 22, 2024, and the April 12, 2024 release of “We Still Don’t Trust You.”

The first album featured the single “Like That,” which spawned a Kendrick Lamar line that ignited the recent beef between the Compton rapper and Canadian superstar Drake. In the featured verse from K-Dot, he responded to a line that fellow rapper J. Cole stated in the Drake and Cole collaboration, “First Person Shooter,” that placed Drake, Cole, and K-Dot as the top three rappers in the game. On “Like That,” the “Not Like Us” rapper disagreed, sparking perhaps the biggest hip-hop beef in history.

Tickets for the “We Trust You Tour” can be Not Like Us through Ticketmaster. V.I.P. packages could also be bought onlivenation.com, Freebandz.com, and Ticketmaster.com.

The remaining shows for the tour are listed below:

• News

by Sharelle Burt

August 8, 2024

President Joe Biden Has ‘No Confidence’ In Peaceful Transfer Of Power If Trump Loses Again 

You have been warned, voters!

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President Joe Biden admitted that he has “no confidence” in a peaceful transition of power if former President Donald Trump loses – again – in November 2024, CBS News reports. 

In a sitdown interview with chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa, the President warned voters of Trump’s past words, claiming there would be a “bloodbath” if he were to lose and how he means what he says. “He means what he says. We don’t take him seriously. He means it. All the stuff about ‘If we lose, there’ll be a bloodbath, it’ll have been a stolen [election],'” Biden said. 

Biden referred to the “bloodbath” comments made by the indicted businessman during a rally in Ohio in March 2024. While the President and his team sounded the alarm on his remarks, Trump doubled down, saying they were geared toward an economic fallout of U.S. trade policy. “Now, if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the whole — that’s gonna be the least of it,” he said.

At the time, Biden campaign spokesman James Singer professed sentiments of Trump wanting another January 6 insurrection; however, he believes “the American people are going to give him another electoral defeat this November because they continue to reject his extremism, his affection for violence, and his thirst for revenge.” 

During the June 2024 presidential debates, Biden asked Trump if he would accept the results if he were defeated since he continuously claims the 2020 election was “stolen” from him. Instead of a simple “yes or no” answer, the former president said, “If it’s a fair and legal and good election,” and said there’s “nothing [he’d] rather do.” Biden called his bluff, saying since he is a “whiner,” a peaceful shift of power won’t happen. “I tell you what, I doubt you’ll accept it because you’re such a whiner,” Biden said during their only debate. 

“The idea that if you lose again, you accepting anything, you can’t stand the loss, something snapped in you when you lost the last time.”

The interview, scheduled to air on Aug. 11, will be Biden’s first public interview since his Vice President Kamala Harris has taken over as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. According to CNN, Biden has remained out of the spotlight outside of duties, including announcing a successful prisoner exchange with Russia and a trip to Texas to celebrate the life of the late Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and to mark the anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. 

However, as Election Day is less than 100 days away, the President took the time to remind American voters of Trump’s slick power attempts to overturn elections — including adding sympathetic local election officials. “Look, what they’re trying to do now in the local election districts where people count the votes … they’re putting people in place in states that they’re going to count the votes, right?” he said. 

“You can’t love your country only when you win.”

RELATED CONTENT: Biden Outlines Proposal For Supreme Court Changes, Including Term Limits

• News

by Sharelle Burt

August 8, 2024

Kamala Harris Checks Pro-Palestine Heckler Trying To Interrupt Her Rally, ‘I’m Speaking’

Now check that!

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Vice President Kamala Harris had to let a rally protestor know that interrupting her while speaking will not be tolerated, USA Today reported. 

During a fiery campaign rally in Detroit on Aug. 7, the presumptive Democratic nominee stood in front of supporters for a speech when suddenly pro-Palestinian protesters attempted to overtake the event. Harris immediately fired back and reminded the protestors why they were there.

“You know what? If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking,” Harris said before an intense staredown. 

While giving the crowd the now dubbed “Black woman stare,” the crowd erupted with chants of, “Not going back!”

The group continued to heckle Harris, shouting, “Kamala, Kamala, you can’t hide! We won’t vote for genocide.” However, the Vice President came prepared with responses to keep things going. “I’m here because I believe in democracy. I believe everyone’s voice matters. But I’m speaking now. I am speaking now.” 

More than 15,000 people attended the rally at an airport in Dearborn, Michigan, home to a large Muslim population that openly criticized President Joe Biden’s support for Israel’s war against Hamas since the violent attacks on Oct. 7. With Air Force Two in the background, the rally was the most well-attended one yet, just two days after announcing her VP running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. 

Her protestor clapback received praise on social media, labeling her response as true leadership, especially from a woman. “Oh my god I started crying, ugly crying, I have waited all my life to see a powerful woman taken seriously, standing tall ready to lead this powerful country,” @lulucaliente said. 

“It was an emotional moment after so many years of wishing and waiting, I hear that glass shattering. It’s a beautiful sound.” 

Others compared her facial expressions to the same ones a mother would give her child before being punished. “That look right there was the look my mother used to give me right before she started counting: 1…..2…..by 3, my ass was gone,” another user wrote. 

Her clapbacks and decisive leadership are helping her campaign thrive. According to Newsweek, Harris is up 8% in the polls over Trump. A survey conducted by Marquette Law School between July 24 and Aug. 1 revealed that when third-party candidates are included, Harris takes a 50% lead for likely voters over 42% for the former President.

RELATED CONTENT: Kamala Harris Secures Democratic Nomination With Required Votes

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 8, 2024

Luther Vandross Documentary Hitting Theaters Later This Year, Will Debut on CNN, OWN, Max in 2025

The documentary was done by award-winning filmmaker, Dawn Porter, who previously worked with CNN Films on the film, John Lewis: Good Trouble.

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The documentary about soulful singer Luther Vandross is hitting the airwaves in 2025 as Giant Pictures has announced that Luther: Never Too Much will premiere across CNN, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and Max. The documentary is expected to have a theatrical release later this year.

There hasn’t been an exact date disclosed for the film’s debut, but it will air 20 years after the balladeer died. Vandross died from complications of a stroke on July 1, 2005, at the age of 54 in Edison, New Jersey.

The documentary was done by award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter, who previously worked with CNN Films on John Lewis: Good Trouble.

“It was a joy to work on this film. Luther was a spectacularly talented performer, composer, and producer,” Porter said in a written statement. “His influence was found in multiple genres, and it was a delight to discover each one.  It has been so much fun to see longtime fans remember why they love him, and new fans come to understand his brilliance.”

The film showcases the life and career of Vandross, one of the most gifted singers to hit the stage. The documentary received rave reviews when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It was also shown at the Tribeca Festival, Hot Docs International Film Festival, and Nantucket Film Festival.

Along with archived footage from over the years, various esteemed artists spoke of him, his work, and his impact on the industry. Fellow entertainers and talented individuals like Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, Richard Marx, and Dionne Warwick are a few of the notables who spoke about Vandross in the film.

“The whole Giant Pictures team fell in love with Luther: Never Too Much following its stellar film festival run this year. The film is a huge crowd-pleaser and a must-see, not only for existing Luther Vandross fans but also those discovering his incredible talents for the first time. We are excited to partner with Sony Music, Raindog Films, and CNN Films on this nationwide theatrical release,” said Nick Savva, General Manager of Giant Pictures.

Vandross was nominated 31 times for a Grammy Award and won eight times. The vocalist also won eight American Music Awards, while releasing 11 consecutive platinum/double platinum albums (13 overall). Eight of his albums were Billboard Top 10 albums.

• Entrepreneurship

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

August 8, 2024

The Queen Of Hoops, Simone I. Smith, Redefines Fashion And Sisterhood With Her Besties

From their origins in ancient African civilizations, hoop earrings have been a constant in Black cultural expression.

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Designers like Simone I. Smith are redefining the legacy of hoop earrings.

Honoring the rich history of hoop earrings while modernizing them for a new generation of women who wear them with pride and confidence, Simone I. Smith has partnered with iconic entertainment figures to create collections that seamlessly blend their historical roots with today’s cutting-edge style. Smith’s passion for hoops, sparked by her first pair of doorknockers at 17, has transformed into a thriving business celebrating this enduring symbol.

“After wearing hoops for many years, I realized there was a lack of quality big hoop earrings in the market, and I wanted to be that person who blessed women with hot hoop earrings,” Smith told BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I launched Simone I. Smith in 2011 and have enjoyed witnessing how women worldwide have embraced my collections.” 

One of the most notable collaborations within her brand is the “Sister Love” collection, created with her best friend and artist, Mary J. Blige, that salutes the ‘fly girls’ of the 80s and today’s trendsetters, blending iconic retro designs with a fresh, modern twist.  

Designing jewelry is a deeply personal and creative process for Smith, where her experiences are intricately woven into her work, including her battle with stage III chondrosarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. The surgery altering her beloved lollipop tattoo on her leg inspired her first design – the signature lollipop pendant, “A Sweet Touch of Hope.”

“Designing jewelry is a lot like writing a song,” she told BE. “I’ll see something in nature that sparks my creativity, or I’ll hear an inspiring phrase that moves me, and that serves as inspiration for my next design.”  

Hoop earrings have long held a significant place in the Black community, transcending mere fashion to become potent symbols of identity, resilience, and empowerment.

From their origins in ancient African civilizations, where hoops adorned the ears of royalty and commoners, to their resurgence in the urban fashion scenes of the 1980s and ’90s, hoop earrings have been a constant in Black cultural expression. These timeless accessories, celebrated for their boldness and versatility, have been worn as statements of pride, defiance, and solidarity. 

Smith’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience, creativity, and faith. Through her jewelry, she adorns women with beautiful pieces and inspires them to embrace their inner strength and confidence. 

“I want women to feel fabulous, confident, and beautiful. I want them to feel inspired and blessed, she told BE. “I name all my pieces of jewelry, especially my earrings, to make women feel inspired by what they’re wearing on their ears, necks, and wrists.” 

Smith’s recent collaboration with iconic stylist Misa Hylton, the Simone I. Smith x MISA “Denim and Diamonds” collection, has taken the fashion world by storm.

“Simone I. Smith x MISA’ Denim and Diamonds’ has been so rewarding,” Smith explained to BE, reflecting on the success of this highly anticipated line. The collection, which blends trendsetting style with timeless elegance, sold out almost immediately, highlighting the powerful appeal of their combined creative vision. The collaboration is a testament to her and Hylton’s enduring friendship and passion for fashion. 

Beyond her jewelry line, Smith brings her passion for connection and celebration to life through her annual event, SISMAS.

“SISMAS came about when I moved to California and was bi-coastal while my husband (rapper and actor LL COOL J) was working on NCIS: Los Angeles,” Smith told BE. Conceived initially to stay close to her friends during the holidays, SISMAS has blossomed into a vibrant, themed celebration of sisterhood and fun. From “Around the Way Girl Meets Bridgerton” in 2022 to “Chicks in Tuxedos” in 2023, each year’s gathering is eagerly anticipated for its creativity and camaraderie. While the theme for this year remains a closely guarded secret, Simone promises it will be unforgettable. 

As Smith’s journey in fashion and sisterhood unfolds, her story becomes a vivid testament to resilience, creativity, and faith. From her iconic jewelry collections to her celebrated collaborations and the annual SISMAS event, the entrepreneur embodies empowerment and connection.

Her words echo a profound truth: “My continued motivation is God blessing me to wake up every morning in my right mind. It gives me another day and another chance to give, serve, love, and create.”  

RELATED CONTENT: Style Icon Misa Hylton Debuts Teva Capsule Collection At Macy’s

• Health and Wellness

by Daniel Johnson

August 8, 2024

Autopsy Reveals Jacoby Jones Died Of Heart Disease At 40

Jones, who was found dead in his New Orleans home on July 14, three days after turning 40, died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

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As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, former Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver and kick returner Jacoby Jones suddenly died in his sleep at 40 years of age. Now, a report from the Orleans Parish Medical Examiner has revealed why. 

According to the Houston Chronicle, Jones, who was found dead in his New Orleans home on July 14, three days after turning 40, died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease. As the name implies, that particular disease usually occurs after having unmanaged high blood pressure for a long period. High blood pressure places strain on a person’s heart, which can lead to heart failure. 

In the days following Jones’ death, Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, a teammate of Jones’, described to the Chronicle what he remembered most fondly about his former teammate. 

“You talk about a guy who was a fun-spirited, loving, caring, great teammate, dance machine,” Ryans began, “He was fun to be around, lit up any room that he walked into with his great spirit, and he’ll be truly missed. I was very saddened to hear the news of him passing. Just truly feel sorry for the family and for all of his teammates, all the lives he’s touched. Jacoby, I remember he always did a great job of working camps and working with kids, and he always did an excellent job of doing that. He’ll be missed.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, though the rates of heart disease vary based on the specific diagnosis, it is generally understood that Black men have a 70% higher risk of heart failure compared to white men. According to the clinic, social factors or social determinants are drivers of the health disparities affecting Black people and, in the case of heart failure, specifically, Black men. 

In February, NBC News examined the potential connection between a lack of Black cardiologists and the fact that Black people are the most likely to die from heart disease. The outlet talked to Elston Harris, a Black man who lives in Chicago with a history of heart attacks in his family, who was referred to a Black cardiologist. 

Harris described his feelings to NBC News, “When you are African American or Black, you’re more comfortable interacting with someone who knows, ‘OK, he might have grew up here, or he might eat this, or I heard them do that.’ So, you’re a lot more comfortable with people who walk in similar footsteps.”

Harris’s experience, the outlet noted, is rare as only 3% of cardiologists are Black, something that Dr. Mary Branch, a Black, North Carolina-based cardiologist, explained was due not only to the long and arduous path of becoming a doctor of cardiology but racism and intolerance as well as economic factors. 

Branch also touched on the prevalence of high blood pressure in the Black community, saying, “Hypertension is a big thing in our community,” According to Dr. Branch, a Black cardiologist may also be on hypertension medication, “so they can relate and connect in that way.”

According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, part of what could be helping to exacerbate high blood pressure is a false directive that Black people with high blood pressure should be treated differently from other ethnicities. 

As Hunter K. Holt, a medical doctor and a primary author of the study, told UCSF, “Race provides a poor proxy for precision medicine. Our study provides evidence that race-based prescribing is ineffective, unwarranted, and may even be detrimental to Black patients in the long run.”

Holt continued, “Race-based guidelines distract clinicians from providing targeted interventions that address known social determinants of health and from addressing implicit biases that disproportionately and negatively impact Black patients. Now is the time for more research to better understand whether the guidelines that were intended to rectify the racial health disparities may actually be further contributing to the divide.”

RELATED CONTENT: NFL Legend Barry Sanders Speaks On Heart-Related Health Scare

by Sharelle Burt

August 8, 2024

Autistic Teen Who Beat Teacher’s Aide Over Nintendo Game Receives 5 Years In State Prison

Brendan Depa's mother says her son needs treatment, not a prison sentence.

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Brendan Depa, an autistic teen from Florida who left a high school teacher’s aide unconscious for taking his Nintendo Switch, will serve five years in state prison, the New York Post reports.

Circuit Judge Terence Perkins handed down the verdict Aug. 6, while Depa held his head back.

Depa was indicted on aggravated battery charges for beating Joan Naydich inside a hallway of Matanzas High School in Palm Coast in Feb. 2023. During the attack, which was caught on camera, the then-17-year-old sprinted toward Naydich and flattened her.

Footage then shows the teen repeatedly stomping on Naydich and punching her 15 times before staff members separated the 6-foot-6-inch, 270 pound Depa from the unconscious teacher. In October 2023, Depa pleaded no contest to the charges and was facing up to 30 years in state prison. However, the sentencing was rescheduled after Perkins said he needed to hear from more witnesses. 

According to Newsweek, Naydich asked another teacher to take away Depa’s Nintendo Switch on the day of the attack. After overhearing the plan, the autistic teen allegedly called Naydich a “b****” and “whore” and spat on her as she walked out of the classroom.

Since the attack, Naydich says she has suffered from PTSD and anxiety. “Brendan Depa’s actions that day have caused me to lose a job that I had for almost 19 years, lose my financial security, lose my health insurance,” Naydich said during a hearing in May 2024. “Like everything was taken away from me that morning. At 10 o’clock that morning. Everything was taken away. My life will never be what it was before.”

The teen, who suffers from autism spectrum disorder, will serve his jail sentence despite pleas from his adoptive mother, Leanne, and defense attorney.

“They are punishing that he is Black, they are punishing that he is large, and they are punishing his disability,” she said following the sentencing. “I think he needs help, and I think he needs treatment. But I don’t think he needs to be put away in a prison where he’s going to be taken advantage of or harmed.”

He will also serve 15 years of probation upon his release and will be placed in a group home. 

The defendant’s attorney pushed for her client to be tried as a juvenile since he was a minor at the time of the attack, but Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark argued for jail time due to his violent history, listing past battery charges. 

Depa’s mother put the blame on the school for not knowing how to properly handle her son’s disabilities. “I had told the school that being hungry was a trigger, that noise was a trigger, that being told ‘no’ was a trigger, that being corrected in front of other people was a trigger, and electronics was a huge trigger,” she claimed. 

Depa was ordered to have no contact with Naydich, remaining 500 feet away from her home and work. He can appeal his sentence in writing.

RELATED CONTENT: Autistic Student Faces Up To 30 Years Behind Bars After Attacking Teacher’s Aide; Victim Will Not Assist In Reducing His Sentence

• Business

by Keka Araújo

August 8, 2024

Atlanta Area Beauty Mart’s Very Public Eviction Amplified Some Wasteful Ways

A netizen–who seriously needs to switch careers to videographer–recorded the Beauty Mart eviction as it unfolded on Aug. 7.

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A Clayton County, Georgia, beauty supply store’s eviction from a busy strip mall shopping area had the hood in a chokehold trying to cop the bounty laid out in the parking lot. 

A netizen–who seriously needs to switch careers to videographer–recorded the Beauty Mart eviction as it unfolded on Aug. 7. She shared the wild footage on Instagram. The beauty supply store “located on Upper Riverdale Road” with Chuck E. Cheese in the plaza was reportedly emptied of its valuable contents by the local sheriff’s department. Items like bundles, bonnets, and makeup were sprawled in massive piles in the parking lot. 

The op posed a valid question to her followers.

“Would you get it or leave it? I’m going to take door number one! #hair #careproducts #makeup #clippers”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Paris Taylor (@celebrityprincess)

A debate on whether folks should steal the Jonesboro Beauty Mart’s merchandise ensued among her followers. A few followers claimed that the owner of the beauty supply had died, and the family couldn’t maintain it, putting the business at risk of eviction. 

In another video, the woman asked members of the crowd what they thought about possibly copping free bundles and bonnets.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Paris Taylor (@celebrityprincess)

One commenter explained that once police arrived on the scene potential thieves were shut down. 

“I left around 2 PM, and the police were not allowing anybody to get anything today, locked the doors on the store. It was absolutely mayhem, and I was not willing to risk life or limb for free hair products,” one person wrote. 

Police eventually arrived at the Clayton County beauty supply, and the sheriff’s department brought inmates as reinforcements to ensure that the Beauty Mart’s bounty remained secure. 

The op brought folks up to speed, disclosing that the police weren’t allowing anyone to take anything. 

“Before Clayton County Co. let you have anything, they will dump it at the [landfill]. Who are you voting for? Lol, #onlyinclaytoncounty #hair #beauty #beauty mart #fyp #foryoupage.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Paris Taylor (@celebrityprincess)

The footage aligned with the op’s claim. Inmates hauled the Jonesboro Beauty Mart merchandise in large bins to a landfill. 

A video uploaded by the Lovejoy Police Department revealed that the Beauty Mart’s contents were indeed being dumped at a landfill and not redistributed to those in need. 

“NOTICE: News broke today of a Clayton County Beauty Supply store facing eviction. Inventory from the store was placed in the parking lot, causing a frenzy. The Clayton County [Sheriff’s] Department collected the items to be dumped at the landfill. It is important to know that all items are currently being destroyed and unable to be collected. The Lovejoy Police Department will be monitoring the area,” the caption read on the video.