Body camera footage shows officers pulling Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill from his car on Sunday. The president of the South Florida police union said Hill was handcuffed and face down during the traffic stop because he “did not cooperate immediately” with officers. Hill was respectful throughout the interaction, he said.
After the video surfaced on Monday, the Dolphins organization released a statement supporting Hill and his teammates.
“We are saddened by the excessively aggressive and violent actions taken by police officers prior to yesterday’s game against Tyreek Hill, Calais Campbell and Jonnu Smith,” the statement said.
“We are proud to have a strong and positive relationship with the Miami-Dade Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, and we know that the vast majority of officers serve their communities with the highest level of character and desire to protect all of our citizens. However, as the video released tonight fully demonstrates, some officers misinterpret their responsibility and willingness to serve as a misguided force.”
Stedman Stahl, president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, said Hill was briefly detained outside the Dolphins’ home stadium and then “sent back” to the stadium after refusing to sit down. One of the officers involved was immediately placed on administrative leave as a result of the incident.
Passing fans and some teammates saw Hill handcuffed and surrounded by at least three police officers after the arrest, which happened just hours before the Dolphins were scheduled to open the season on Sunday. The incident quickly went viral.
Hill later said he didn’t know why police had handcuffed him.
“I really don’t know,” Hill said after Sunday’s game. “It’s not like I was rude. That’s not how my mom raised me. I didn’t swear or anything like that. So like I said, I’m still trying to figure it out, man.”
Stahl said Hill was handcuffed, per police department policy.
“There was an incident yesterday before the Dolphins game where Tyreek Hill was handcuffed before being released,” Staal said in a statement. “First, let me be clear: he was never arrested. He was briefly detained for police safety after driving in a manner that put himself and others at great risk.
“Mr. Hill did not immediately cooperate with the officers on scene once he was stopped, and the officers, per policy and for their immediate safety, handcuffed Mr. Hill. Still uncooperative, Mr. Hill refused to get on the ground, and was returned to the ground. Within minutes, the situation was resolved, and Mr. Hill was issued two traffic tickets and was free to leave.”
Miami-Dade police have not yet revealed what offense Hill was charged with. He said police said he was pulled over for speeding and reckless driving. However, Hill’s teammate, Calais Campbell, confirmed that no charges were filed. The officer who detained Hill has been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation, which is normal procedure.
Miami-Dade Police Chief Stephanie Daniels told the Miami Herald on Monday that she decided to place the officer on leave after reviewing body camera footage from the roadside incident.
The Miami-Dade Police Department denied an AP request for video and said an internal investigation is underway.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniela Levine Cava issued a statement praising the department for immediately launching an investigation.
“In recent years, our country has faced important conversations about the use of force,” she said, adding that “our internal review process will answer questions about why officers took the troubling actions depicted in the public footage.”
Hill’s teammate Campbell also said he tried to calm the situation before briefly handcuffing Hill. Campbell said he was on his way to the stadium when he saw Hill in handcuffs.
“They were trying to pull him to the ground,” Campbell told ESPN on Monday. “I saw them kicking him, pulling him, pulling on the handcuffs. It looked like his shoulder was messed up. They were pulling him. It looked like one officer was holding his head down.”
Campbell said he got out of his car with his hands above his head, approached the scene and told police he was Hill’s friend. He remained at the scene to “support” Hill even after police said he was told to leave. Police later handcuffed him for being too close to the scene and “not following direct orders.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, speaking at an unrelated event in Miami Lakes, Florida, on Monday, said he thought it was “appropriate” to launch an investigation into the police actions.
“I was happy to see him do well in the game, and what happened on the field was good for the team,” DeSantis said. “I have confidence that agencies across this state are held to the highest standards of professionalism, and if for some reason they haven’t followed through here, I know they’ll come clean about it. But I’m going to let that investigation happen.”
This isn’t the first off-field incident involving Hill.
He was kicked off the Oklahoma State team after being accused of beating his college girlfriend, and later pleaded guilty to domestic assault and strangulation. In 2019, prosecutors in suburban Kansas City declined to charge Hill after a domestic violence incident involving his fiancée and their 3-year-old child.
Last offseason, Hill was investigated by Miami-Dade police for assault and battery after a report of an altercation with a South Florida marina worker, in which Hill allegedly struck the worker. Hill and the man later settled the dispute.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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