A Pennsylvania business owner is accusing Highmark security personnel of racial discrimination. This comes after a confrontation over his access badge inside a Pittsburgh office building. TikTok creator Fugly Uggo (@FuglyUggo), shared a video of the dispute in September 2026. The confrontation took place at Fifth Avenue Place in downtown Pittsburgh.
The video shows a security guard taking his badge and telling him he was “not supposed to be in here.” He repeatedly disputed that claim, saying the badge had allowed him through the building’s access system. “I didn’t trespass anything,” he says in the audio.
He also told the guard that he had ordered and paid for lunch upstairs and had received a text message saying the food was ready. Fugly repeatedly asked for his badge so he could retrieve the meal and return through the turnstiles.
The video shows that the interaction became physical.
At one point, the guard tells Fugly he can go upstairs but says he is not allowed in the area where they were speaking. Fugly responds that the badge had just let him enter.
The exchange then becomes more physical. Fugly can be heard asking, “What are we touching me for?” He later says, “Please, please don’t touch me,” and “Let go of me.”
Fugly’s caption identifies the guard as “Highmark Officer Kelsch.” He accused Kelsch of grabbing his arm after he returned the badge. He said another person stepped into his path during the confrontation.
Fugly also connected the incident to what he described as an earlier dispute involving a young Black man who, according to Fugly’s account, had used a bathroom he was not supposed to use. Fugly said he believed that incident led to increased scrutiny of him and his business.
Fifth Avenue Place has a substantial Highmark security presence. A commercial property description identifies the building as having 24/7 on-site security and as the home of the Highmark Health security force. Highmark has also previously described security personnel working at the building.
Highmark’s current job posting for a Police Officer I position at Fifth Avenue Place says security personnel enforce company policies and procedures and respond to security incidents. They also resolve disputes and remove unwanted, unauthorized, or disruptive individuals from company property
Some Highmark security positions also require Pennsylvania Act 235 certification. Pennsylvania State Police say Act 235 governs training and certification for privately employed agents who carry lethal weapons as part of their jobs. The certification process includes eligibility requirements, fingerprinting, and physical and psychological examinations.
As of Sept. 9, 2026, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police had not commented on the situation. Highmark and the security personnel involved have also not commented on the matter.
Fugly’s alleged confrontation resolved peacefully. But in Mississippi, authorities are investigating an incident after Walmart accused a Black mother of shoplifting. Responding officers reportedly shot and killed her 1-year-old child in her car.
Published: Sep 10, 2026 07:41 am