Bodycam footage of Tyreek Hill’s detainment was released by Miami-Dade Police Department on Monday, showing the star Miami Dolphins wide receiver get pulled out of his car just hours before Sunday’s season-opening, 20-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Hill received citations for reckless driving and driving without a license after being pulled over just blocks from Hard Rock Stadium.
The footage released Monday shows Hill and an officer having a conversation before Hill rolls his car window up. The officer then knocks on the window, telling Hill to keep it down. Hill obliged by cracking it just a bit, then had more words for the officer, who once again told the 30-year-old to keep it down while threatening to remove Hill from his car.
The officer then changed his mind, demanding Hill to get out of the car anyway. Another officer stepped in and told Hill that he would break his window if he didn’t get out of the car, and that same officer then opened Hill’s door and helped forcibly bring him to the ground.
“Hey Drew, hey Drew, I’m getting arrested Drew,” Hill can be heard saying while on the phone with his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.
One officer then sat on top of Hill with his knee on the wide receiver’s lower body while another put him in handcuffs.
Hill was brought over to the sidewalk and told to sit down. When he didn’t, an officer came over, put his arms around Hill’s neck and forced him to sit.
“I just had surgery on my knee, I just had surgery on my knee,” Hill said as the officer pulled him down.
“Before the Dolphins game yesterday, an incident occurred where Tyreek Hill was placed in handcuffs before being released,” South Florida Police Benevolent Association president Steadman Stahl said in a statement on Monday. “First, to be clear, at no time was he ever under arrest. He was briefly detained for officer safety, after driving in a manner in which he was putting himself and others in great danger.
“Upon being stopped, 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.”
Dolphins teammate and defensive end Calais Campbell was also detained at the scene after trying to help Hill. Campbell did not get a citation, though. Miami tight end Jonnu Smith was also there to support Hill.
“We are saddened by the overly aggressive and violent conduct directed towards Tyreek Hill, Calais Campbell and Jonnu Smith by police officers before yesterday’s game,” the Dolphins said in a statement on Monday. “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.”
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) September 10, 2024
–Field Level Media
