Raymond Wilford, doused in pepper spray, being led away as protesters tell the security officer they have the wrong person

Raymond Wilford, doused in pepper spray, being led away as protesters tell the security officer they have the wrong person

On August 9, Raymond Wilford, who happens to be black, was walking to the Westlake Mall to meet a friend. He ended up walking through a confrontation between an unidentified man, who happens to be white, and protesters at a demonstration. In a matter of seconds, Wilford found himself being spit on by the unidentified man and then pepper sprayed by a mall security guard , even as eyewitnesses pleaded with the guard that he was apprehending the wrong man.

The Seattle Stranger, which broke the story, recently caught up with Raymond Wilford:



"The security guard was like, 'Stop,'" Wilford said in an interview. "The white guy was still yelling and walking towards the security guard. I was like, 'Why are you pointing your Mace at me? He's the one being aggressive.' And then he [the mall cop] pepper-sprayed me." According to witnesses and a police report, the spray blew into other people's faces and left them with red eyes.

During a visit to the Westlake Center food court last week, I spotted Hinds, dressed in the same white uniform and wide-brimmed blue hat, standing and talking with someone, apparently working. I saw his name tag. I took a cell-phone photo of him from a ways away. But as I got closer to try to speak with him, he abruptly turned and disappeared around a corner. (I don't know whether he saw me.)

Ansel Herz from the Seattle Stranger says the security guard was spotted working at the mall last week , apparently still on the job:And while Seattle police say they are investigating, the shirtless man (seen below) has still not been identified. Raymond Wilford was detained and then released, no charges filed.

Photojournalist Alex Garland captured the confrontation in a set of riveting photos. Jump below the fold to see the scene unfold.