NORFOLK, Va. — The story behind a viral social media video that claimed a Navy sailor was detained by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during a Norfolk traffic stop was fabricated, State Sen. Angela Williams Graves said Thursday.
Norfolk Police confirmed on Wednesday they were investigating the video, which showed a Navy sailor describing an incident involving someone in his command during what he says began as a window tint violation stop.
"After a thorough investigation from Norfolk PD and the Navy, we now know this entire story was fabricated," Graves said in a Facebook post. "The sailor was never stopped by Norfolk Police. There was no traffic stop of any kind. The accusation is 100% false."
In a phone call with Graves, she told WTKR News 3 anchor Jessica Larché that she had received confirmation from Norfolk Police and the Navy that the video was not based on a real incident that occurred.
According to the sailor's account in the video, the service member was stopped for window tint and an ICE agent on scene detained the sailor for an hour. The sailor claims his service member showed a military ID but was told it wasn't acceptable and that he needed a passport instead.
The video gained additional attention when it was shared Wednesday morning by Virginia Del. Jackie Hope Glass on social media.
The Norfolk Police Department told WTKR News 3 Wednesday it does not ride along with ICE agents.
"Lying about encounters with law enforcement is unacceptable," said Graves in the post. "At a time when trust is already fragile, and our minority communities are anxious about ICE raids and immigration officers detaining people without cause, false claims like this do real harm."
News 3 has reached out to Norfolk Police, ICE, and the Navy for more information and will update this story when we learn more.
