The Miami police caught on camera hitting a black woman in the face at an airport is about to be fired, the director of the Miami-Dade Police Department announced Thursday.
A shocking video emerged on social media on Wednesday of a Miami-Dade Police Department officer hitting 21-year-old Paris Anderson and sending her to the ground, during a verbal altercation at Miami International Airport on Tuesday by the night.
The officer has not been publicly identified by the department, but the Miami Herald said he was named by several sources as Antonio Clemente Rodríguez, a black officer of Puerto Rican heritage who is stationed at the airport and has a 20-year tenure.
Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramírez III said Thursday that the process to fire the police had begun after the violent incident.
Shocking video emerged of a police officer hitting a black woman in the face at Miami International Airport on Tuesday night.
The clip shows Paris Anderson, 21, standing in front of two officers and yelling at one of them, before approaching her face. She said: ‘You act like you are white but you really are black. What are you going to do?
‘As a result of an administrative investigation into the officer’s conduct during this incident; “I intend to proceed with the termination of the employment of the officer involved in the Miami-Dade Police Department,” Alfredo Ramírez III tweeted.
‘The administrative process to proceed with the termination has been started. The MDPD is responsible for its actions, and this is just another example of our commitment to do just that. ‘
But the Miami-Dade Police Charitable Association has defended the officer’s actions by saying it was an ‘open hand’ slap rather than a blow, something sometimes called a ‘diversion attack.’
Steadman Stahl, union president, told the Herald on Thursday that the police had acted appropriately against Anderson, who was “clearly in his face.”
He also said the union had not heard from the police department about the officer’s dismissal and urged officials to go through the proper channels.
Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramírez III said Thursday that the process to fire the police had begun after the violent incident. The officer has not been publicly identified by the department, but several sources have named him as Antonio Clemente Rodríguez.
‘I hope that the officer’s rights and due process are not violated in this proceeding. We have nothing but the video and what we are seeing on television, ” he said.
Tuesday’s surprising assault was filmed on camera in an officer’s body and shows Anderson facing two police officers and yelling at one of them, before approaching his face.
‘It really should. You are black, you act like you are white but you really are black. What are you going to do? Anderson says approaching the officer near his chin.
Suddenly, the police officer believed to be Rodríguez hits her and hits her in the face.
He then tosses it with his hands and brings it to the ground as the officers in the background yell ‘Woah, woah.’
A second officer is quick to separate them, as is the behind-the-camera officer from the body recording the incident.
In the clip, the police, believed to be Rodríguez, are heard saying ‘he hit my head.’
According to an arrest report written by Rodríguez, he and another officer, Ricardo Álvarez, had taken Anderson away from an American Airlines ticket counter at the airport after she was “threatening” and “shouting obscenities” at a member of the personal.
“I should go there and hit him in the face,” Anderson allegedly yelled over the ticket agent.
According to an arrest report written by Rodríguez, he and another officer, Ricardo Álvarez, had taken Anderson away from an American Airlines ticket counter at the airport after she was “threatening” and “shouting obscenities” at a member of the personal
Rodriguez had allegedly told her to follow him and the other officer when she ‘aggressively approached’ him.
The report says he then stepped back and hit her with an “open hand.”
Ramírez announced Wednesday that he had launched an investigation into the incident when the images appeared on social media.
He said he ordered that the officers involved be relieved of duty.
‘I am shocked and angry by a body camera video I just saw involving one of our officers. I immediately launched an investigation and ordered that the officers involved be released from duty, ” he said.
Actions like these undermine the hard work we have invested in our community and make my heart break for our community and for the vast majority of our officers who dedicate their lives to serving our County. This will not hold, and I assure our community that any officer acting in this vain will be held accountable. ”
Ramírez said he also asked state attorney Kathy Rundle to join the investigation.
Mayor Carlos A. Giménez criticized the video as “appalling” and “excessive and unnecessary use of force.”
‘That is NOT what our @MiamiDadePD are trained to do. @MDPD_Director Ramirez has ordered that the officer be released from duty and the investigation is ongoing. That is why I instituted body cameras and MDPD is reviewing all the images. ‘
The director of the Miami Dade Police Department, Alfredo Ramírez, condemned the attack and ordered an investigation. He said the police officers involved have been relieved of duty.
Mayor Carlos A. Giménez criticized the video as ‘appalling’ and ‘unnecessary excessive use of force’
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