Miami-Dade Police released body-worn camera video Monday night of Tyreek Hill being removed from his vehicle, handcuffed and detained by officers before the Miami Dolphins’ season opener Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.
The police officers who briefly detained Hill were “overzealous” when they removed him from his vehicle, brought him to the ground and handcuffed him behind his back shortly before the game, his lawyer said Monday afternoon.
“At no point in time did Mr. Hill pose a threat to these officers,” said Atlanta attorney Julius Collins, who blamed the confrontation on “overzealous officers attempting to impose their authority on Mr. Hill because they were not pleased with how fast he complied with their request and that Mr. Hill did not roll down his window far enough to their liking.”
Collins’ written statement was issued hours after the city’s police union backed the officers, blaming Hill for not cooperating with a traffic stop a short distance from the stadium.
“Upon being stopped, Mr. Hill was not immediately cooperative with the officers on scene who, pursuant to policy and for their immediate safety, placed Mr. Hill in handcuffs ,” said South Florida Police Benevolent Association President Steadman Stahl.
“Mr. Hill, still uncooperative, refused to sit on the ground and was therefore redirected to the ground,” he said. “While we are confident in the actions that led to the stop, we will wait for all of the facts to come out, along with any explanation Mr. Hill may have for his actions that initiated this unfortunate incident.”
According to Hill’s lawyer, the popular wide receiver did cooperate, only to have one of the officers threaten to “break that [expletive] window” if they had to.
Miami-Dade Police have not released the name of the officer, who has been placed on administrative duty, but the agency’s Internal Affairs unit is reviewing the video captured on his bodycam.
After Sunday’s comeback victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hill said he was at a loss as to why he was handcuffed when he was stopped for alleged speeding and reckless driving on his way to the stadium. Bystander videos posted on social media show Hill on the ground, with his hands cuffed behind his back.
“I have no idea, for real,’’ he said. “No idea. No idea, man. It’s crazy. No idea. I wasn’t disrespectful, because my mom didn’t raise me that way. Didn’t cuss. Didn’t do none of that. So like I said, I’m still trying to figure that out.”
Hill received two traffic citations as he was released. Neither has been made public.
Police Director Stephanie V. Daniels promised full transparency. “I have initiated an Internal Affairs investigation to ensure a thorough review of the matter,” she said. “One of the officers involved in the incident has been placed on administrative duties while the investigation is being conducted.”
Hill’s account of the incident was supported by teammate Calais Campbell, who witnessed the confrontation and was also briefly handcuffed. Daniels acknowledged Campbell’s involvement.
“At this time, we can confirm that he was temporarily detained but released moments later without any further incident,” she said.
Although Hill made it to the game and was pivotal in the Dolphins’ win, news of the police confrontation spread quickly enough in the stands for fans to express their support, some waving hand-scrawled signs saying “Free Tyreek!”
This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457. Follow him on Threads.net @rafael.olmeda
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