Citation. 529 U.S. 266, 120 S. Ct. 1375, 146 L. Ed. 2d 254 (2000)
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Based on an anonymous tip that a black male in a plaid shirt was standing at a bus stop armed, police stopped and frisked J.L.
Synopsis of Rule of Law.
“An anonymous tip that a person is carrying a gun is not, without more, sufficient to justify a police officer’s stop and frisk of that person.”
Facts.
Miami-Dade police were told by an anonymous caller that an armed black male in a plaid shirt was standing at bus stop. There was no audio record of the call, no any other specific information. Two officers were instructed to respond. Upon arriving at the bus stop, the officers saw three black males, one of whom, respondent J.L., was wearing plaid. There was nothing else about the situation that suggested to the police that illegal activity was afoot. The officers could see no firearm, and the respondent did nothing threatening. The officers approached all three men, and frisked them. They found a gun on J.L.’s person.
