Body camera footage released on Monday revealed how a disagreement over a raised window prompted officers to detain Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, an encounter that the team described as “despicable” police conduct.
In a strong statement issued late Monday, the Dolphins supported Hill and criticized the Miami-Dade Police Department for allegedly breaching the public’s trust with “unnecessary force” in their response.
While the Dolphins acknowledged having a “strong and positive relationship” with the Miami-Dade Police, they condemned the treatment Hill received during the traffic stop near Hard Rock Stadium, just hours before the Miami-Jacksonville Jaguars game.
“However, as the footage clearly shows, some officers misunderstand their duty and commitment to serve as a license for misuse of power,” the team’s statement read.
The Dolphins commended the Miami-Dade Police Department for promptly releasing the video but urged immediate action against the officers involved in what they termed “despicable behavior.”
The footage begins with Hill’s car being pulled over by a motorcycle officer, who accuses him of speeding and instructs him to move forward. After knocking on Hill’s window, the officer questions why Hill isn’t wearing a seatbelt, to which Hill responds multiple times, “Don’t knock on my window like that.”
The officer insists he must knock on the window to notify Hill of his presence. Hill informs the officer that he is late and asks for a ticket, after which he rolls up the window. The officer then demands that Hill keep the window down.
When Hill only partially lowers the window, the officer threatens to pull him out of the car, stating, “Keep your window down, or I’m going to get you out of the car.” A second officer threatens to break the window, leading to a tense standoff where Hill is eventually pulled from the car and laid face-down on the pavement.
As Hill is on the ground, an officer is heard stating, “When we tell you to do something, you do it.” Hill, seemingly confused, attempts to explain the situation but the officer escalates by saying, “You’re a little f—ing confused.”
Once Hill is on his feet, he remarks that the officer had been “beating on my window like he’s crazy.” The video captures Hill saying he recently had knee surgery as officers continue to detain him, with one officer later recognizing him as an NFL player.
In an interview, Hill expressed disbelief over how a routine traffic stop escalated so quickly. He stated he was cooperative throughout the interaction, having presented his identification as soon as asked.
Dolphins teammates Jonnu Smith and Calais Campbell witnessed the incident while driving by and stopped to intervene, resulting in Campbell also being handcuffed as he attempted to help Hill. Campbell described the situation as tense, noting that he wanted to ease the confrontation due to his friendship with Hill.
Hill was ultimately cited for reckless driving, a decision that his agent argued did not warrant the level of police response. The Dolphins expressed their sorrow over the aggressive actions taken against Hill and his teammates, labeling the event as “maddening” and “heartbreaking.” They emphasized concerns over safety and questioned how differently the situation might have been handled if it wasn’t one of their own.
In response, Miami-Dade Police Director Stephanie Daniels announced an internal affairs investigation is underway, with one officer assigned to administrative duties during the review.
A representative for the officer placed on administrative assignments claimed the actions taken against him were premature, calling for his immediate reinstatement pending the completion of a thorough investigation.