A
n Ohio woman, Michelle Bishop, has denied allegations of racially profiling a black real estate agent, Mike Jenkins, after a viral video surfaced online. In a Facebook post on January 18, 2025, Bishop claimed she is not a racist and was unaware of Jenkins' race during the incident that occurred in November 2024.

    According to Bishop, she was jogging with her two young kids in a dark neighborhood under construction when she saw headlights following behind her. She ran to the first house on the sidewalk, believing it was hers, and rang the doorbell for help. When no one answered, she asked Jenkins if he was the owner of the house, and he replied yes. Bishop then said she didn't believe him, which led to a confrontation.

    Bishop explained that her response was due to the awkward encounter with Jenkins, who had been slowly driving up behind her and talking to her multiple times. She also stated that she was in a frantic state, trying to protect her children, and couldn't see well in the dark neighborhood.

    Jenkins responded to the viral video on his Instagram account, writing about how he handled the situation with grace despite feeling threatened. Bishop maintained that she did not racially profile Jenkins, claiming she was unaware of his race due to the poor lighting.

    In a Facebook post defending herself, Bishop said she will not apologize for making a racist remark but will apologize if her expression came across as such. She also stated that she had apologized to Jenkins' family after learning he was the owner of the house.