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Newly-released body cam footage shows Florida police officers hauling NFL star Tyreek Hill out of his car and pushing him roughly to the ground during an arrest on Sunday morning.
Hill, 30, was stopped and detained by Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) highway cops just hours before the Miami Dolphins faced the Jacksonville Jaguars, reportedly for speeding and reckless driving.
The arrest sparked immediate controversy, with Hill telling reporters that he had "no idea" why he was handcuffed, while the MDPD said it had taken one of the officers off street duties while it probes what happened.
On Monday, the force released body cam footage of the incident, saying it was "committed to conducting a thorough, objective investigation into this matter" and to "keeping the public informed.”
In segments reviewed byThe Independent, a motorcycle cop can be seen chasing down Hill's McLaren 720S sports car and ordering him to pull over before knocking on his window.
Hill rolls down his window but repeatedly tells the officer "don't knock on my window like that,” while the officer asks him "why don't you have your seatbelt on?" and "why do you have [the window] up?"
After a brief argument, Hill tells the officer: "Give me my ticket, bro, so I can go. I'm gonna be late. Do what you gotta do." He then rolls up the window again.
Other cops gather as the initial officer repeatedly knocks on Hill's window, saying: "Hey! Keep your window down! Keep your window down or I'mma get you out of the car. As a matter of fact, get out of the car right now. We're not playing this game."
Hill's response is unclear, but the door does not open, and ten seconds later the officers pull it open themselves. Hill appears to be moving to exit the car when the officers grab him by the wrist and the back of the head, pull him out of his seat, and wrestle him face-down to the ground.
Officers can be heard saying: "What part of get out do you understand? [...] When we tell you to do something, you do it. You understand? Not what you want, but what we tell you. You're a little f***ing confused."
Hill and the officers continue to exchange words as they pull him to his feet, frogmarch him over to the sidewalk, and force him to sit down. Hill protests that he has "just had surgery on [his] knee,” while bystanders look on.
The officer whose bodycam footage was released is asked by a colleague if he knows the man who is sitting on the ground. The officer on the bodycam says he doesn’t know, and is told: “That’s one of the Dolphins’ star players.”
Later, at around 10:21am, fellow Dolphins player Calais Campbell pulls up nearby and is seen talking to someone on the phone. Officers walk up to him and demand that he leaves, before repeatedly demanding his licence.
Campbell later said that he tried to "deescalate" the situation, but was handcuffed by the police.
Hill said that he is considering legal action, and his agent told The Miami Herald that his treatment by the police was "completely unacceptable.”
MPDP director Stephanie V Daniels said: "Following the incident inolving Tyreek Hill, I have initiated an Internal Affairs investigation to ensure a thorough review of the matter. One of the officers involved has been placed on administrative duties while the investigation is conducted.
"I'm committed to transparency and accountability to the community with any situation involving my officers."
