Man Says Target Security Mistook Him for 'Damien' and Allegedly Threatened To Call Police at Store

A TikTok user has accused a man he believed was working as security at a Target store in New Jersey of racial profiling after allegedly being mistaken for another person and later warned that police could be called.

The customer, known online as @tybeemz, described the encounter in a TikTok video highlighted in reporting on 27 October. He claimed the confrontation began when a man repeatedly questioned whether he was someone named Damien.

Ty said he and a friend had travelled to the Jersey Shore for a short getaway. They had initially searched for a Walmart before stopping at Target to make a quick purchase ahead of meeting friends at the beach.

What was supposed to be a brief shopping trip became an uncomfortable experience that Ty later shared online, alleging that the man had wrongly associated him with suspected shoplifting.

Target Shopper Says Stranger Repeatedly Mistook Him for 'Damien'

According to Ty, the encounter began when an unfamiliar man approached him inside the store and repeatedly asked whether he was Damien.

Ty denied being the person the man was looking for, but claimed the questioning continued despite his response.

He initially thought the stranger might have mistaken him for an acquaintance. However, his suspicions changed when he noticed a walkie-talkie attached to the man's waist.

Ty believed the individual was working as a security guard, although his identity and employment status have not been independently verified.

'He thinks I'm a shoplifter,' Ty said while describing the encounter.

He claimed the man appeared to associate him with several possible offences, including shoplifting and trespassing. However, those were Ty's interpretations of the encounter rather than accusations independently confirmed to have been made by the individual.

The customer said he had not been shown evidence of wrongdoing and believed he was being singled out because of mistaken identity.

According to his account, the initial confrontation ended when the man apparently accepted that Ty was not the person he had been seeking.

Ty indicated that he was initially willing to move on without pursuing the matter further.

His friend, however, wanted an explanation from store management. The pair subsequently approached a manager to discuss what had happened.

The decision led to another confrontation, during which Ty claimed they were warned that police could become involved.

Ty Says Police Warning Followed Request for Explanation

Ty alleged that the situation escalated while he and his friend were speaking with a manager near the manager's office.

According to his account, the same man who had questioned his identity returned and ordered them to leave the premises.

'You guys need to leave right now. If you don't leave right now, I will be calling the cops,' Ty recalled the man saying.

The warning confused Ty, who questioned why police involvement was necessary when he believed neither he nor his friend had done anything wrong.

He said the man told them they were on private property and demanded that they leave immediately.

Ty maintained that they had approached management only to seek clarification about the earlier encounter.

The customer said he ultimately decided to leave because he feared the situation could escalate further if police became involved.

He and his friend subsequently continued with their planned beach trip.

The incident prompted Ty to express concern about how Black shoppers could be treated in public spaces. He believed the encounter reflected racial profiling, although there is no independent finding establishing discrimination or the man's motives.

The available reporting does not establish whether police were contacted or whether any formal complaint was filed.

It also does not include a statement from Target, the individual involved or store management addressing Ty's allegations.

The identity of the person the man was searching for, and the reason for the questioning, remain unclear.

Ty ended his account by encouraging other shoppers, particularly Black customers, to remain aware of their surroundings and question treatment they consider inappropriate.