DISCOVERY BAY, Calif. (KRON) – A Discovery Bay family is speaking out after their neighbor told them to “stop acting Black” in a “white neighborhood.”
They say the harassment started after their neighbor, who’s white, approached them about their dog and it quickly turned into an encounter they never expected to have in their neighborhood.
The Jones family has lived in this neighborhood for 12 years and say they never had a problem before, that was all until Monday’s interaction.
Several neighbors dropped by the Jones’ home on Tuesday to see how they’re doing and tell the family that they support them.
Gerritt Jones: “I don’t know if you’re having a bad day or whatever.”
Neighbor: “I’m not having a bad day but you know what, you are a Black person in a white neighborhood and you’re acting like one. Why don’t you act like a white person in a white neighborhood.”
This is the moment when the Jones family’s interaction with their neighbor across the street took a turn.
“Unfortunately this is just what comes with being an African American in this country,” Gerritt Jones said.
Leading up to this, Gerritt Jones says his 13-year-old son was playing outside their Discovery Bay home with their 2-year-old pit bull named Dice Monday afternoon.
Their neighbor, who they identify as Adana Dean, then approached the family asking questions about their dog.
“The conversation began escalating. She told me she was going to report my dog and call the police on me and that’s when the racial slurs began to come out,” Gerritt said.
The encounter was captured on the family’s home surveillance and then on their cell phones.
KRON4 spoke to Dean, who didn’t want to be on camera, about the incident. She claims that she didn’t have a stun gun or taser on her but instead, it was this dog chaser.
When asked about the things she said, Dean says she didn’t do anything wrong and she’s not a racist.
However, the Jones’ clearly feel different and want this to be a learning experience.
“We want is for her and other racists to have the understanding and see this is what we go through, you know minding your business and being a Black person in this community was a crime yesterday in her eyes,” Gerritt said.
“I believe that it needs to be shown like justice needs to be made clear as well as I’m not going to continue to be silenced or uncomfortable where I live so if you’re going to make me uncomfortable, the world’s going to see how you like to act,” Jariell Jones said.
The Jones family says they haven’t spoken to the neighbor or received an apology.