A Florida police union says Tyreek Hill was driving dangerously when police pulled him over in Miami on Sunday, before handcuffing him after he refused to cooperate with them.
While en route to the team’s Hard Rock Stadium, Dolphins wide receiver Hill was handcuffed and pinned to the ground by police in astonishing scenes ahead of their Week 1 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
One shocking clip even appeared to show an officer punching him on the sidewalk after he was pulled over, prompting accusations of racism from dismayed fans on social media.
Hill was eventually released after being cited for two traffic violations before heading to Hard Rock Stadium and scoring in a 20-17 victory for the Dolphins. Amid outrage over his arrest, Miami-Dade police revealed that one officer has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation into the incident is underway.
However, according to the president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, police only stopped the NFL star because he was endangering other drivers on the road, while he was handcuffed after refusing to comply with instructions.
A Florida police union says Tyreek Hill was driving dangerously when police pulled him over Sunday in Miami.
Hill, who was arrested on his way to Dolphins Stadium in shocking scenes, is also accused of refusing to cooperate with officers before being pinned to the ground (right).
In a statement given to TMZ SportsThe SFLPBA alleges that Hill put “himself and others at great risk of danger” by driving recklessly on his way to the Miami stadium.
The statement continues: ‘Mr. Hill did not immediately cooperate with officers on scene who, pursuant to policy and for his immediate safety, placed handcuffs on him.
‘Mr Hill, who remained uncooperative, refused to sit on the ground, so he was redirected to the ground. Once the situation was resolved within a few minutes, Mr Hill was issued two traffic tickets and was allowed to leave.’
The SFLPBA concluded its statement by adding that it supports “the actions of our officers” but “looks forward to more open communication in the future.”
Hours after the incident, Miami-Dade Police Chief Stephanie V. Daniels – as reported by the NFL – revealed that an officer involved in Hill’s arrest was placed on administrative duty during “a thorough review of the matter.”
“I am committed to transparency and accountability to the community in any situation involving my officers,” Daniels added. The officer in question has not been identified.
The Dolphins wide receiver was cited for two traffic violations before police let him go.
Hill then played and scored a touchdown in Miami’s 27–20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After scoring a touchdown, he celebrated by imitating the moment he was handcuffed and arrested by police.
After scoring a touchdown in Miami’s win, Hill celebrated by mimicking the moment he was handcuffed and detained by police earlier in the day.
He later broke his silence about the ordeal after the game but sidestepped accusations of racism leveled against Miami police officers by some online.
“I don’t want to bring race into this, but sometimes it gets a little iffy when you do,” Hill said, via ESPN, after the game. “What would have happened if it wasn’t Tyreek Hill? God knows what that guy or guys would have done.”
‘I was just making sure to do what my uncle always told me to do when I was in a situation like that: “Just listen, put your hands on the wheel and just listen.”
In a dramatic twist, later Sunday a second Dolphins player said he was detained outside Hard Rock Stadium while trying to calm Hill’s altercation with police.
A second Dolphins player, defensive lineman Calais Campbell, said he was also detained outside Hard Rock Stadium while trying to calm Hill’s altercation with police.
Miami defensive lineman Calais Campbell said after their win over the Jaguars that his teammate wasn’t the only person handcuffed a block from the stadium.
“I got handcuffed too and I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ I didn’t understand what the deal was that I got handcuffed,” Campbell said after the game. “I felt some type of way. That shows our resilience. We’re not going to let that stop us.
“It was my first time in 17 years playing this game. I watched Tyreek get arrested. I just wanted to make sure everything was OK, try to calm the situation down. The officer put the handcuffs on and he had a similar reaction.”