Plaintiffs have filed a lawsuit against a security services company and one of its employees, alleging racial profiling and harassment during an incident at a San Francisco shopping center. On October 30, 2024, Ameer Ali and Nicholas Kincaid filed the complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, against Securitas Security Services USA, Inc., Michael Koppel, and other unnamed defendants.
The case stems from an incident on March 13, 2024, when Ali and Kincaid were allegedly racially profiled by Michael Koppel, a security guard employed by Securitas. According to the complaint, Koppel stopped the plaintiffs as they attempted to enter a Sephora store at Two Embarcadero Center. Koppel reportedly accused them of intending to steal without any basis for his assumption. The confrontation was recorded by Kincaid and later aired on ABC7 News. During the encounter, Koppel allegedly displayed a handgun and flashed a badge indicating he was impersonating a peace officer. Plaintiffs claim that this behavior caused them severe emotional distress.
The plaintiffs argue that Securitas failed in its duty to properly supervise and train its employee, making it liable for both direct and vicarious damages. They are seeking compensatory damages for emotional distress and punitive damages to set an example against such conduct. Additionally, they demand civil penalties under various California civil rights laws including the Unruh Civil Rights Act, Ralph Civil Rights Act, and Bane Civil Rights Act.
Representing Ali and Kincaid are attorneys Nicholas A. Carlin and Michael D. Levinson from Phillips Erlewine Given & Carlin LLP. The case is being heard in front of Judge Sahar Enayati under Case ID CGC-24-619392.