Ohio Bank Calls Police On Black Man Cashing Paycheck

BROOKLYN, OH — A Huntington Bank branch has apologized after it called police on a black customer trying to cash his paycheck. The bank said it was sorry for "this extremely unfortunate event."

Paul McCowns told Cleveland 19 he went to the Huntington branch at Giant Eagle in Brooklyn on Dec. 1. He had just gotten a new job and wanted to cash his first paycheck. The bank asked him for two forms of identification, and a fingerprint, all of which he provided.

According to McCowns, the tellers kept questioning the check. They tried calling his employer several times to verify that the check was real, but the employer didn't pick-up. Eventually, the bank employees refused to cash the check and McCowns left.

Then the police stopped him in the grocery store parking lot. Unbeknownst to McCowns, when he walked out of the branch, the employees called 911 and told police McCowns had tried to cash a fraudulent check.

McCowns was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police cruiser.

Luckily, officers were able to finally contact McCowns' employer, who confirmed the check was real and valid and McCowns was released.

Huntington has issued a statement apologizing to McCowns.

“We sincerely apologize to Mr. McCowns for this extremely unfortunate event. We accept responsibility for contacting the police as well as our own interactions with Mr. McCowns. Anyone who walks into a Huntington branch should feel welcomed. Regrettably, that did not occur in this instance and we are very sorry. We hold ourselves accountable to the highest ethical standards in how we operate, hire and train colleagues, and interact with the communities we have the privilege of serving.”

Brooklyn Police Scott Mielke told the Washington Post that Huntington branch had been hit by fraudulent transactions at least 10 times since July. McCowns has said he was being racially profiled.

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A Huntington spokesperson told NBC the bank has tried to reach McCowns, to apologize, but has been unable to contact him.

McCowns said he was able to deposit his paycheck the next day, in a different Huntington branch.

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