Black Panther Director Ryan Coogler Mistaken For Bank Robber, Arrested
OAKLAND (CBS SF) – Ryan Coogler, the Oakland-born director behind "Black Panther" and "Fruitvale Station" said Wednesday that he was arrested in Atlanta after a bank teller mistook him for a bank robber a couple months ago.
The 35-year-old director released a statement confirming that police arrested him back in January after he went to a Bank of America and attempted to withdraw a large amount of money.
"This situation should never have happened," Coogler said in a statement. "However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on."
According to a police report obtained by TMZ, Coogler entered the bank wearing a hat, sunglasses and a COVID mask. When it was his turn, he handed the bank teller a withdrawal slip that reportedly said "I would like to withdraw $12,000 cash from my checking account. Please do the money count somewhere else. I'd like to be discreet."
The large withdrawal amount reportedly triggered an alert on the teller's computer, so the teller and bank manager called 911. Officers then arrested Coogler inside the bank and detained two of Coolger's associates outside.
Police admitted they made a mistake soon after cuffing Coogler and released him. Officers later noted in their report that Coogler asked for their badge numbers.
The Bank of America has apologized for the incident.
"We deeply regret that this incident occurred. It never should have happened and we have apologized to Mr. Coogler," a bank spokesperson said Wednesday.
Coogler was Time magazine's runner-up for Person of the Year in 2018. His first film, "Fruitvale Station," focused on the fatal shooting of Oscar Grant by a BART police officer in 2009. He went on to direct several successful films, including "Creed" and "Black Panther," the most profitable movie helmed by a Black director.
