[UCANSEE2]

The officer did know about the robbery. It was only while he was backing up that he realized that Mike and Dorian seemed to fit the description of the perps, and that one of them had something in their hand that also looked like the described 'stolen' item.

All this happened in a split second.

The officer had passed by Mike and Dorian at first as he was on his way to the apartment complex for a non-related call.

He yelled at them to "get the f on the sidewalk", and they responded with some colorful language indicating "NO". That is when he hit the brakes, and started to back up, and his mind 'clicked' as he realized in that same instant that these guys fit the description.

[piasa]

We don’t know that he yelled at them with profanity. He probably did what most cops do and just ordered them off the street. Then it got translated into ebonics and retold.