Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill was handcuffed and positioned facedown on the bottom throughout a visitors cease as a result of he was not “instantly cooperative” with officers, the president of the union that represents the Miami-Dade Police Division stated in a press release on Monday.
A video of Hill in handcuffs with at the very least three officers round him shortly went viral simply hours earlier than the Dolphins kicked off their season on Sunday. Hill later stated he had been respectful and didn’t know why the officers positioned him in handcuffs.
“I don’t know, for actual,” Hill stated after Sunday’s recreation. “I wasn’t disrespectful as a result of my mother didn’t elevate me that means. Didn’t cuss. Didn’t do none of that. So like I stated, I’m nonetheless attempting to determine it out, man.”
Steadman Stahl, president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Affiliation, stated Hill was handcuffed in keeping with the police division’s coverage.
“Earlier than the Dolphins recreation yesterday, an incident occurred the place Tyreek Hill was positioned in handcuffs earlier than being launched,” Stahl stated in a press release. “First, to be clear, at no time was he ever beneath arrest. He was briefly detained for officer security, after driving in a fashion by which he was placing himself and others in nice threat of hazard.
“Upon being stopped, Mr Hill was not instantly cooperative with the officers on the scene who, pursuant to coverage and for his or her speedy security, positioned Mr Hill in handcuffs. Mr Hill, nonetheless uncooperative, refused to take a seat on the bottom and was due to this fact redirected to the bottom. As soon as the scenario was sorted out inside a couple of minutes, Mr Hill was issued two visitors citations and was free to go away.”
A police officer was quickly positioned on administrative depart after the incident and the division has begun an inside overview. Miami-Dade Police director Stephanie Daniels instructed the Miami Herald on Monday that the choice to position the officer on depart got here after a overview of the physique digicam footage from the roadside incident.
Daniella Levine Cava, the mayor of Miami-Dade county, launched a press release commending the division’s speedy launch of an investigation.
“In recent times, our nation has confronted vital conversations on the usage of pressure,” she stated, “and the interior overview course of will reply questions on why the troubling actions proven in public video footage have been taken by the officer.”
Hill stated the officers instructed him he had been pulled over for dashing and reckless driving, however added that he didn’t know why the scenario escalated. Hill’s teammate, defensive deal with Calais Campbell, was additionally briefly handcuffed after he stated he tried to deescalate the scenario. Campbell stated he was on his solution to the sport when he noticed Hill handcuffed.
“They have been attempting to yank him right down to the bottom,” Campbell instructed ESPN on Monday. “I noticed them kick him and pull him down, I imply, pulling [on] the cuffs; shoulders seemed like they have been messing up. They form of bought him down. I really feel like one officer was pushing on his head.”
Campbell stated he bought out of his automotive along with his palms up above his head and approached the scene, informing officers that he was a good friend of Hill. He remained on the scene to “assist” the extensive receiver after he stated officers requested him to go away. Police later positioned Campbell in handcuffs for “disobeying a direct order” by being too near the scene.
In a later look on The Andy Slater Present, Stahl stated he wished to overview bodycam footage earlier than responding to Hill’s feedback in regards to the incident. Stahl added that Hill had shook palms with the officers when he was launched.
Hill went on to play in Sunday’s recreation in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars, which kicked off simply hours after his detainment. He appeared to reference the incident after scoring an 80-yard landing, celebrating along with his arms behind his again as if he was in handcuffs.
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Hill stated his fame might have stopped the scenario from escalating.
“I don’t wish to carry race into it, however typically it will get form of iffy while you do,” Hill, who’s Black, stated. “What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Lord is aware of what that man or guys would have executed. I used to be simply ensuring that I used to be doing what my uncle at all times instructed me to do everytime you’re in a scenario like that: ‘Simply hear, put your palms on the steering wheel and simply hear.’”
Hill is likely one of the finest receivers within the NFL, and has been named to the Professional Bowl in each season since he entered the league in 2016. He led the league in receiving final season with a profession excessive 1,799 yards. He received the Tremendous Bowl along with his earlier staff, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, in February 2020. He was traded to the Dolphins in March 2022 and signed a four-year, $120m contract extension that makes him the highest-paid extensive receiver within the NFL.
Sunday’s incident wasn’t the primary time Hill has come into contact with Miami-Dade police. Final offseason, Hill was beneath investigation by the division for assault and battery after it was reported that he bought into an argument with a marina employee, which apparently ended with Hill hitting the employee. Hill and the person later resolved their dispute.
