The Miami Dolphins and star Tyreek Hill are speaking out after body camera footage was released which showed what led officers to handcuff Hill, who they had pulled over near Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, hours ahead of the Miami-Jacksonville Jaguars game.
In a statement, the Dolphins lambasted the incident as a “despicable” police action and supported their wide receiver, blaming the Miami-Dade Police Department officers for allegedly violating the public’s “trust to protect our community with such unnecessary force.” The Dolphins said they have a “strong and positive relationship with the Miami-Dade Police Department,” but ‘strongly objected to the officers’ treatment of Hill. The statement said: “as is on full display in the videos released tonight, there are some officers who mistake their responsibility and commitment to serve with misguided power. While we commend MDPD for taking the right and necessary action to quickly release footage, we also urge them to take equally swift and strong action against the officers who engaged in such despicable behavior.”
Hill, 30, said in an interview that he was opening his door to get out, and the incident “went from 0 to 60 .. A simple speeding ticket turned into something like me lying face-down on my stomach for a simple speeding ticket. I already had my ID ready, so I gave him that, which is crazy — so I was being very cooperative from the get-go.”
Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith and defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who were driving by, saw Hill being detained and stopped to help, with Campbell also getting handcuffed. A different officer from the one who knocked on Hill’s window is seen in body camera video handcuffing Campbell. The Dolphins said in their statement that they were “saddened by the overly aggressive and violent conduct directed towards Tyreek Hill, Calais Campbell and Jonnu Smith by police officers before yesterday’s game. It is both maddening and heartbreaking to watch the very people we trust to protect our community use such unnecessary force and hostility towards these players, yet it is also a reminder that not every situation like this ends in peace, as we are grateful this one did. What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?’ is a question that will carry with resounding impact.”
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