Footage Shows Toddler With Hands Up During Tallahassee Traffic Stop

Video showing a 2-year-old child approaching Tallahassee police officers with her hands up during a traffic stop is going viral.

The footage posted by Tallahassee Police on their Facebook page shows the encounter that was captured on cellphone and officer bodycam video. It had nearly 300,000 views and 900 shares as of Tuesday morning.

Officials said they were responding to a shoplifting call at a Bealls Outlet Thursday afternoon and received info that one of the suspects had what appeared to be a gun in their waistband. When officers responded, they stopped a blue pickup truck and ordered the people inside to get out.

The cellphone video shows a man get out of the driver's seat and approach an officer with his hands up; multiple officers have the truck surrounded with guns drawn. Moments later, the toddler comes out of the truck and approaches the officer and handcuffed suspect with her hands up.

"Come on sweetie, you're OK," the officer tells the girl, who is allowed to go to her mother. Police said officers also found a 1-year-old child in a car seat in the truck.

Police said two adults, Chad M. Bom, 34, and James W. McMullen, 38, were charged with theft. The gun found in the truck turned out to be a pellet gun, officials said.

"This video footage captures the compassion demonstrated by our TPD officers during an intense situation. I’m very proud of their actions and appreciative of the work these men and women do each day to keep our community safe,” Mayor John Dailey said in a statement.