Former tennis star James Blake was on his way to the U.S. Open in Queens Wednesday when he was tackled and detained by police in what they call “a case of mistaken identity.”
Blake, who is black, told reporters he was tackled and cuffed outside the NYC Grand Hyatt by a group of white, plainclothes police officers.
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We have to admit, they do share a striking resemblance. After the incident the NYPD issued a statement,
“Today James Blake was detained by police in midtown Manhattan in regards to an ongoing investigation into fraudulently purchased cell phones, after being misidentified by a cooperating witness. Once Blake was properly identified and found to have no connection to the investigation, he was released from police custody immediately. In regards to the alleged improper use of force, the Police Commissioner directed the internal affairs bureau to investigate.” h.t pix11
Blake was released immediately after the police discovered his identity.
