Miami-Dade Police Department has started an internal investigation after Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was detained on his way to play in his NFL team’s season opener.
A video on ESPN showed Hill lying on his front on the ground being handcuffed by police near to the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday for an alleged traffic offence.
He was later released and scored a touchdown in a 20-17 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, celebrating by pretending to be placed in handcuffs.
One of the police officers involved in the incident “has been placed on administrative duties while the investigation is conducted”.
The Dolphins said several team-mates had stopped and offered support for Hill.
Defensive tackle Calais Campbell told NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe after the game that he also was placed in handcuffs as he tried to “deescalate the situation”.
Speaking after the match, Hill said he did not know why he had been stopped and handcuffed.
“I wasn’t disrespectful because my mum didn’t raise me that way. I didn’t cuss. Didn’t do none of that. I’m still trying to figure it out,” the 30-year-old Super Bowl champion said.
“I was just doing what my uncle always told me to do if I was in a situation like that — just listen, put your hands on the steering wheel. Gotta be careful man.
“They said I was speeding, but I don’t know. They said I was speeding, reckless driving, whatever.”
When informed by a reporter that one of the police officers had been placed on leave, he added: “That should tell you everything you need to know.”
Hill said he wanted to use his platform to make sure there was a “positive” outcome from the incident for himself and the police.
He added: “I do want to use this platform to say ‘What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?’
Everybody has bad apples in every situation, but I want to be able to use this platform to figure out a way to flip this and make it a positive on both ends, my end and Miami-Dade and that way we can team together and do something positive for the community.”
In a statement, Miami-Dade Police Department director Stephanie V Daniels said: “I initiated an internal affairs investigation to ensure a thorough review of the matter.
“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.”
Earlier, Hill’s agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN it had been a “heartbreaking situation” but Hill was OK.
Rosenhaus said: “How things escalated into the situation they were in – handcuffs and being held on the ground by police – is mind-boggling to me.
“I’m deeply concerned by that, very troubled. We will be looking into it.”
He added: “This is crazy, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
