A Florida police union has released new alleged details surrounding the detainment of Miami Dolphins star receiver Tyreek Hill.
On Sunday (September 8), Hill was detained by Miami-Dade police officers while on his way to Hard Rock Stadium just hours before the Dolphins' season opener.
Videos circulating on social media show officers aggressively handcuffing Hill, who at one point was put face down on the ground. One of the officers appeared to kneel on Hill's back. Footage also showed an officer seemingly striking Hill on the curb.
Reports surfaced that the NFL star was pulled over for a traffic incident. According to TMZ, the president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association (SFLPBA), a police union representing over 6,000 officers, claimed Hill put "himself and others in great risk of danger" while driving to the Dolphins' stadium.
The SFLPBA further alleged that Hill didn't cooperate with officers' orders during the traffic stop.
"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," the SFLPBA told TMZ. "Mr. Hill, still uncooperative, refused to sit on the ground and was therefore redirected to the ground."
"Once the situation was sorted out within a few minutes, Mr. Hill was issued two traffic citations and was free to leave," the organization added.
SFLPBA said it stands "with the actions of our officers" ... "but looks forward to further open communication moving forward."
Following the Dolphins' win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hill addressed the incident with reporters, saying he was still trying to figure out what happened.
“I really don’t know. Right now I’m still trying to put it all together," the NFL star said during post-game press.
“I wasn’t disrespectful because my mom didn’t raise me that way, didn’t cuss, didn’t do none of that. Like I said, I’m still trying to figure it out," Hill continued.
The wide receiver said he wanted to use his platform to shed light on policing.
“I want to use my platform to say, what if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Worst case scenario."
According to CNN, the Miami-Dade police officer who detained Hill was put on administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident.
“Following the incident involving Tyreek Hill, I have initiated an Internal Affairs investigation to ensure a thorough review of the matter," Miami-Dade Police Department Director Stephanie V. Daniels said in a statement. One of the officers involved in the incident 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.”
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