A Florida police union has claimed that Tyreek Hill was driving dangerously when he was pulled over by cops in Miami on Sunday – before being placed in handcuffs after refusing to cooperate with them.
While making his way to the team’s Hard Rock Stadium, Dolphins wideout Hill was cuffed and pinned to the ground by police in astonishing scenes ahead of their Week 1 fixture against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
One shocking clip even appeared to show an officer striking him on the sidewalk after he was detained, which led to accusations of racism from appalled fans on social media.
Hill was eventually let go after being cited with two traffic violations before heading to Hard Rock Stadium and scoring in a 20-17 win for the Dolphins. Amid the outrage over his detainment, Miami-Dade Police revealed that an officer has been placed on administrative leave with an investigation into the incident ongoing.
Yet according to the president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, police only pulled over the NFL star because he was endangering other drivers on the road, while he was cuffed after refusing to comply with instructions.
In a statement given to TMZ Sports, the SFLPBA alleges that Hill put ‘himself and others in great risk of danger’ by driving recklessly on his way to Miami’s stadium.
The statement then continues: ‘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.
‘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 SFLPBA concluded its statement by adding that it stands ‘with the actions of our officers’ but ‘looks forward to further open communication moving forward.’
In a statement given to TMZ Sports, the SFLPBA alleges that Hill put ‘himself and others in great risk of danger’ by driving recklessly on his way to Miami’s stadium.
The statement then continues: ‘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.
‘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 SFLPBA concluded its statement by adding that it stands ‘with the actions of our officers’ but ‘looks forward to further open communication moving forward.’
After scoring a touchdown in Miami’s victory, Hill celebrated by mimicking the moment he was handcuffed and detained by cops earlier in the day.
He then broke his silence on the ordeal after the game, yet steered clear of the accusations of racism levelled at Miami police officers by some online.
‘I don’t want to bring race into it, but sometimes it gets kind of iffy when you do,’ Hill said, via ESPN, following the game. ‘What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Lord knows what that guy or guys would have done.
‘I was just making sure that I was doing what my uncle always told me to do whenever you’re in a situation like that: “Just listen, put your hands on the steering wheel and just listen.”‘
In a dramatic twist, later on Sunday a second Dolphins player said he was detained outside Hard Rock Stadium while trying to deescalate Hill’s altercation with police.
Miami defensive lineman Calais Campbell said after their win over the Jaguars that his teammate was not the only person placed in handcuffs a block from the stadium.
‘They put handcuffs on me too and I was like “What is going on?” I didn’t understand what the issue was, for him to put handcuffs on me,’ Campbell said after the game. ‘I felt some kind of way. That just goes to show you our resilience. We’re not going to let that stop us.
‘That was a first, 17 years in this game. I saw Tyreek getting apprehended. I just wanted to make sure everything was ok, try to deescalate the situation. Officer felt a certain kind of way and put handcuffs on me.’
