‘Who Brings ID to a Swimming Pool?’: Black Man Says He Was Asked to Prove Residency at His Own Apartment Complex’s Pool While His Children Watched

A video originally posted to Facebook by Leo Sullivan, showing a woman approaching him and his children at a pool in an Illinois apartment complex, sparked debate after being reshared on X.

The X post claimed that the woman was targeting the "only Black family" at the pool and said she asked Sullivan for his ID before calling police over residency concerns.

In his Facebook post, Sullivan wrote that the woman and another person called police on him and his children, claiming it happened because they were the only Black people at the pool. He wrote that after he showed proof that he lived at the complex, the woman still asked for his identification, adding, "Who brings ID to a swimming pool?"

Sullivan wrote that when police arrived, he told them he did not have to show identification, adding in his post, "I paid good money like everyone else, except I am Black." The woman smiled at officers' response and later refused to give her name when he asked for it. He said police were called on him again later that day when he went to the complex's front desk.

Sullivan wrote that the experience traumatized his children, adding that he saw the woman "begin smiling more" after noticing one of his children crying. He is considering legal action.

Some replies pushed back on labeling the interaction as racially motivated without more context. One commenter wrote, "If it's a private complex and she's checking residency (common rule), then calling it racist just because the family is Black is lazy. The kid looking upset sucks either way, but rules aren't racism by default."

Others said the situation, if accurately described, would be a serious concern. One person wrote, "If accurate, this would be a deeply troubling situation. Incidents involving people being singled out or treated differently based on race can have a serious impact, especially on children who witness them. The full context and any investigation would be important in understanding what happened and determining accountability."

No news report, police statement, or response from the apartment complex confirming the specific incident described by Sullivan was found in available public records. The woman shown in the video has not been named or identified, and her account of events has not been made public.

Another expressed support for Sullivan from outside the country. They wrote, "I'm not American but I respect you for standing up for yourself. It's a shame you have to deal with this in 2026, but know that you are no different from anyone else regardless of such bad experiences. I hope your children won't have to deal with this in the future. All the best from Europe. We also need to step it up here."

The Daily Dot could not independently verify the events described in Leo Sullivan's account, including whether the interaction was racially motivated, the police's response, or the details of the alleged second incident. No statement from the woman shown in the video, the Arden of Warrenville complex, or law enforcement was found.