Foot Locker Faces Lawsuit Over Disturbing Security Guard Incident in NYC
Hey everyone, I want to talk about something that’s honestly pretty shocking and deeply unsettling. It’s a story out of New York City involving a Foot Locker store in Harlem and an incident that’s now the subject of a serious lawsuit. What happened isn’t just bizarre—it’s disturbing on a human rights level, and it's a reminder that inappropriate behavior and harassment can happen in places you’d least expect, even while shopping for something as mundane as sneakers.
So here’s what went down. A couple—Christian Leitch, an animator, and Brian Williams, a designer and salesperson—were out shopping at the Foot Locker on West 125th Street, right near the Apollo Theater. What should have been a casual afternoon took a weird and upsetting turn. According to their lawsuit, a security guard at the store—still unidentified and referred to as “John Doe” in the filings—approached them and behaved in a completely inappropriate way.
Leitch claims this guard walked up to him while he was waiting to try on some Nikes, lifted his shirt without warning, and stuck his finger in his belly button. Not once, but twice. Meanwhile, the same guard allegedly complimented Williams on his “nice booty” and touched him without consent—repeatedly.
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Understandably, the couple was shocked and uncomfortable. They left the store immediately because they felt unsafe, but later returned just to get a photo of the guard so they could report what happened. According to them, they even witnessed him ogling and bothering another male shopper during that second visit.
What’s worse is that when Williams reached out to Foot Locker’s customer care to report the incident, he got an automated response—and then nothing. Radio silence. No follow-up, no investigation, no apology.
Now they’re taking legal action. The lawsuit argues that this wasn’t just random inappropriate behavior—it was targeted harassment based on their sex, gender, and sexual orientation. Both men are Black and openly gay, and they believe the security guard singled them out because of that. Their attorney says they were wise to walk away from the situation instead of confronting the guard, because things could have escalated quickly.
Foot Locker hasn’t commented on the matter yet, which is troubling given the seriousness of the allegations. Meanwhile, this isn’t just about one guard’s actions. It’s about how a major retail chain with over 2,400 stores worldwide failed to protect its customers or even acknowledge a reported assault in one of its stores.
Leitch and Williams are demanding a jury trial and seeking damages for emotional distress and mental anguish. Honestly, they deserve answers—and so do all of us who expect a basic level of safety and respect in public spaces. Because as Williams put it: “People need to be aware that things like this don't just happen at a club or at a bar… It’s happening when you’re shopping for a pair of socks.” And that’s the truth.
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