96% of People Arrested for Sagging in Shreveport, LA Are Black Men

According to reports, black men have been found to form the higher percentage of people arrested since authorities passed a Louisiana rule banning “sagging” into law.

On Instagram, “The Shade Room” shared that new crime reports show that most men arrested for sagging in Shreveport, Louisiana, are black. In 2007, legal authorities made the ordinance 50-167 which bans men from dressing improperly by having their pants going below their waistline.

It sparked heated reactions from the younger generations back then, but that has become even more pronounced now that statistical reports show that about 96% of the culprits arrested were African American.

The Shreveport Police Department reports that this means that out of the total 726 people arrested for breaking the law, 712 of them were black people, and the much lesser few were whites. Seeing how it is black people that predominate, netizens have sparked a debate that the controversial law is biased.

The rule became even more popular after the Anthony Childs shooting which occurred when a policeman tried to nab Anthony for breaking the “sagging” law. According to reports, the officer, Traveion Brooks, shot Anthony Childs about eight times as he tried to escape.

While it was only three out of those shots that hit Childs, the one that hit his chest region killed him. It almost seems unbelievable that Traveion’s excuse is that he was trying to stop Childs, who had been sagging, from getting away!

“The Times,” asked Public Information Officer Christina Curtis about the so-called amendment to the rule which states that breaking the law “shall itself not be grounds for an arrest.” While she confirmed that it was indeed true, she stressed that she couldn't tell if any offenders were arrested just for their sagging pants.

"We don't believe anyone was booked directly into the city jail solely for sagging. We have to read through 726 reports to know that for sure," she said.

This amendment, which it seems the officers don't follow, is why Childs’ tragic incident has been deemed racist by netizens, thus calling the attention of the entire public to the shocking ordinance.

In reply to @theshaderoom, several Instagram users took to the comments section to air their opinions about the law. One user, @ess_eye_bee said:

“The folks saying duh are lost. Sure, Sagging isn't “proper” however NO ONE should go to jail or be arrested solely for what they wear. That's just crazy.”

Another @rynkyz humorously said:

“Crazy to think I can go to jail for having my pants too low.”

Thankfully, the rule is fast going viral having becoming the object of criticism on media outlets. Now, LeVette Fuller, a city councilor, has proposed to scrap the seemingly unbelievable rule entirely.