Aeneas Hawkins just simply wanted to get gas and go about his day, but one guy had other ideas.
The Penn State football player took to Twitter last week to detail a terrifying encounter where a White man was staring at him at a convenience store while traveling home to Cincinnati from Penn State.
Aeneas Hawkins described the incident in a Twitter thread:
“I’m on a road trip back home, and stopped for gas about 3 hours away. As I’m coming out of the store after paying for my gas, I made eye contact with a white man who’s about 30 years old.
“He stared longer than I thought was normal, but I thought nothing of it. I’m a larger man in all Penn State gear, so maybe he knew I played ball. As I walked though, he yelled, ‘Fuck you! You black son of a bitch’
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“Although my inclination was to jump through his face when he stood close to me, I know that I’ll always be guilty before proven innocent. Although I had done nothing out of the ordinary to invite conflict, it found me just for LWB (living while black).
“I’m posting this to remind my brothers and sisters of color to stay aware of their surroundings and to be safe. Although that man is not representative of this entire country, the anger and hate he has in his heart represents enough for my people (to) be extra cautious at all times.”
Aeneas Hawkins called his father after the incident, but did not contact police.
Artrell Hawkins said he met with an officer about the incident.
“I felt strongly enough about this to go there and speak with the police,” he said.
Hawkins said he doesn’t worry so much about someone attacking his son – who is listed as 6-foot-2 and 288 pounds by Penn State – but knows sometimes verbal battles can lead to weapons being used.
“He’s a defensive tackle at Penn State,” Artrell Hawkins said. “He’s a big, black kid. Nobody’s probably going to confront him or challenge him directly. But he has to be careful.”
Artrell Hawkins added: “He’s respectful. He’s a high-achiever. He’s everything you would want in a son. But as a parent, you worry.”
