Newly released police body camera footage shows what unfolded when Miami-Dade County officers pulled over Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The NFL star found himself in handcuffs a block away from Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 8, just hours before his game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In the bodycam video, Hill doesn’t comply with the officer’s orders to lower his window and that’s when things begin to escalate. Hill is seen dragged out of his car and forced face down onto the ground along the roadway in the video. The footage also reveals Hill was originally stopped for speeding.
It takes approximately one minute from when the officer leaves his motorcycle to when Hill is pulled out of his car.
Hill received two citations and was briefly detained but never put under arrest. One officer was placed on administrative leave.
“If I wasn’t Tyreek Hill, Lord knows, I probably would have been, like, worst-case scenario, I would have been shot or would have been locked up” and “put behind bars, you know, for a simple speeding ticket,” Hill told NBC News.
His teammates, tight end Jonnu Smith and defensive lineman Calais Campbell, were among those who arrived on the scene. Campbell was briefly detained in handcuffs, as well.
The Dolphins released a statement on the incident- on Monday night, Sept. 10.
“We are saddened by the overly aggressive and violent conduct directed towards Tyreek Hill, Calais Campbell and Jonnu Smith by police officers before yesterday’s game. It is both maddening and heartbreaking to watch the very people we trust to protect our community use such unnecessary force and hostility towards these players, yet it is also a reminder that not every situation like this ends in peace, as we are grateful this one did. ‘What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?’ is a question that will carry with resounding impact.
“We are proud to have a strong and positive relationship with the Miami-Dade Police Department and other law enforcement agencies and recognize that the vast majority of officers do serve the community with the utmost character and desire to protect all citizens. However, as is on full display in the videos released tonight, there are some officers who mistake their responsibility and commitment to serve with misguided power. While we commend MDPD for taking the right and necessary action to quickly release this footage, we also urge them to take equally swift and strong action against the officers who engaged in such despicable behavior.
“We will stand beside Tyreek and our players as they work to use their platform and this situation to make a positive impact in our community. We have always believed that the game of football holds a unique power to bring people together, and we remain hopeful that through the collective work of the players, organization and our community partners, we can create lasting change.”
The South Florida Police Benevolent Association released a statement Monday before the bodycam video was released.
Steadman Stahl, the president of the association, said Hill “was briefly detained for officer safety, after driving in a manner in which he was putting himself and others in great risk of danger.
“Upon being stopped, Mr. Hill was not immediately cooperative with the officers on the scene who, pursuant to policy and for their immediate safety, placed Mr. Hill in handcuffs. Mr. Hill, still uncooperative, refused to sit on the ground and was therefore redirected to the ground.”
Stahl said at no time was Hill ever under arrest.
