The apartment complex at the center of a viral Illinois pool confrontation has broken its silence.
Earlier this month, filmmaker Leo Sullivan shared a video claiming he and his kids were targeted by a “racist Karen” because they were the “only Black family” at the pool.
Now, the apartment complex addressed the situation, saying they have CCTV footage and messages that tell a very different story from the one spreading online.
The apartment complex at the center of a viral Illinois pool confrontation has broken its silence
Arden Living, the Chicago property where Leo Sullivan and his two sons stayed, rejected claims that its employee racially profiled them.
They said their staff were simply enforcing rules that applied to everyone at the pool.
The incident first gained traction online when Sullivan shared a video of the altercation that gained millions of views online.
The video, shared by the Atlanta-based film producer and author, captured a woman approaching the father in front of his two kids at their Airbnb.
He claimed that the “racist Karen and her buddy” went as far as calling the cops when he had no ID to show.
“Karen calls the cops on the only Black family at the pool, demanding to prove their [sic] residents,” read the text box hovering at the top of his TikTok video.
Sullivan claimed that the “racist Karen and her buddy” targeted them because they were the only Black family at the pool
The filmmaker claimed to have shown her proof that he was staying there. But that was apparently not enough for the woman.
“Like who brings ID to a swimming pool?” he exclaimed.
Sullivan’s 9-year-old son was heard crying in the video, afraid about whether his dad would “be put in jail.”
Viewers slammed the property and its staff after Sullivan’s clip went viral. But Arden Living said the encounter had nothing to do with race.
The property’s management team said their employees were simply enforcing pool rules and claimed Sullivan had agreed to follow those rules beforehand.
They also said their CCTV footage showed the staff asking other visitors to provide identification or pool passes as well.
Sullivan’s 9-year-old son was heard crying in the video, afraid about whether his dad would “be put in jail”
A spokesperson for Arden Living shared a statement with Bored Panda disputing allegations of racial discrimination.
“We are deeply upset about the extensive misinformation being shared on social media about our company and the doxing of our innocent employees,” the statement said.
The company has a long history of serving diverse communities and “proudly” employs individuals of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, they added.
The property shared screenshots where Sullivan apparently agreed to the rules about the pool
“We do not condone or tolerate discrimination of any kind, and to falsely portray this incident as discrimination is reckless and harmful to our tenants and our community,” said the statement.
The property said that they had informed Sullivan, prior to his stay, that he would need to obtain a pool pass at the front desk before entering the pool area.
“The CCTV footage shows that he and four other unrelated individuals at the pool were all asked to show an ID or their pool pass as required to ensure security for our tenants and guests,” the statement said.
The spokesperson asserted that their employees were simply following established property policies that are “applied equally” to all their residents and guests.
“Since Mr. Sullivan never checked in with the front desk upon his arrival (as he agreed to do), never obtained a pool pass, falsely identified himself as a tenant, and never provided ID when politely asked, staff had no way to identify him as a guest, so authorities were called to help resolve the situation,” they said.
They also claimed Sullivan chose to escalate the situation instead of easily resolving the matter and “falsely portray the incident on social media, mischaracterize our staff, and now has put lives in danger.”
“We treated Mr. Sullivan with respect and professionalism, as we do with all tenants and guests, and will always maintain a welcoming and safe environment for all,” they concluded.
“It hurt my heart to see that little boy cry and be worried about his dad,” one commented online
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