WATCH: Cop pulls gun on black students over broken tail light – then bizarrely tries to blame the Supreme Court
The Lynchburg Police Department is being accused of racial profiling after a video of a traffic stop surfaced on social media.
Four college students were stopped and detained at Virginia University of Lynchburg.
The students said an officer had their gun drawn after stopping them for a broken tail light.
University staff says this could have easily become a dangerous situation.
Video posted to Facebook of the traffic stop shows four students in handcuffs, sitting on the curb, after being stopped for what they said police told them was a broken tail light.
"It was kind of alarming to watch, just to see that," said VUL football coach, Bobby Rome.
Rome said the students were on their way back to campus after an early morning workout. They said they were driving up Dewitt, near Campbell Avenue, when officers passed them in the opposite direction. The officers then turned around and stopped the students.
Rome was able to witness the entire encounter.
"I seen the police officer approach. He asked everyone to put their hands on the dash and immediately he had his hand on his waist," Rome said.
In the video, you can hear the officer explain that he pulled his gun because he smelled marijuana.
"The reason I reached for my gun is because I smelled marijuana," the officer said. "The supreme court says guns and drugs go together."
The students say the car was searched twice and police didn't find any drugs.
They only received a ticket for the broken light.
"Those are my kids on the side walk," Rome said. "They're not criminals, gangsters, they're not drug dealers. They're not murderers. They're here to get an education."
The students, who are football players, say they were heading back to campus after an early morning workout when they passed an officer going to opposite direction. They say the officer turned around and stopped them for a broken tail light.
A witness says the officers approached the car with his hand at his waist and later pulled his gun. The encounter was captured on video and posted to social media. This is a screen grab of the post. pic.twitter.com/tc9tnwWZRF
The Lynchburg Police Department hasn't released the officer's names and declined to comment on the stop, but said they are investigating.
The university said the next step is to bridge the gap between officers and the community.
"Police officers are human also just like this young man on the sidewalk is human," Rome said. "Things could go the opposite direction. Whether that's him going to jail or being arrested, either one of things are detrimental to a young man."
It happened near the corner of Dewitt St and Campbell Ave and Virginia University Of Lynchburg.
The students, who are football players, say they were heading back to campus after an early morning workout when they passed an officer going to opposite direction. They say the officer turned around and stopped them for a broken tail light. pic.twitter.com/dRTlIg0bsw
The University says outside of this incident, they have a great relationship with police.
They say they want to hold a community conversation with students to prevent this from happening again and meet with officers this weekend.
