Miami Cop Who Punched Woman at Airport Relieved of Duty

The Miami International Airport officer who was caught on video punching a woman in the American Airlines line has since been relieved of duty.

Jul 02, 2020
Miami police
Getty

Image via Getty/Sean Drakes

Miami police
Getty

Image via Getty/Sean Drakes

The Miami officer who was caught on video punching a woman in the face at the Miami International Airport on Wednesday night has since been relieved of duty, TMZ reports.

Police director Alfredo Ramirez III tweeted out his disapproval on Thursday, shortly after video of the assault began circulating, saying that the involved officers have been let go.

I am shocked and angered by a body cam video that i just saw involving one of our officers. I’ve immediately initiated an investigation and ordered that the involved officers be relieved of duty. Actions such as these undermine the hard work that we have invested in (1 of 3)...

— Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez III (@AFreddyRamirez) July 2, 2020

our community and causes my heart to break for our community and for the vast majority of our officers who dedicate their lives to serving our County. This will not stand, and I assure our community that any officer acting in this vain will be held to account. (2 of 3)...

— Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez III (@AFreddyRamirez) July 2, 2020

I have also just spoken to our State Attorney @KathyFndzRundle and asked that her office immediately become involved in the investigation. (3 of 3)

— Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez III (@AFreddyRamirez) July 2, 2020

The graphic video shows an officer getting into a verbal altercation with the woman before he sucker-punches her. Per TMZ, the original police report said the two officers in the video were responding to complaints of disorderly conduct in the American Airlines line and were trying to direct the woman to book with another airline before things escalated. She was allegedly threatening airport employees and "aggressively approached" the officer.

"You’re Black. You’re acting like you’re white but you’re really Black,” the woman can be heard saying to the officer in the video. "Don't walk up on me, for real. What are you going to do?” the woman adds before getting punched in the face by the officer and taken down.

After she was struck, the officer can be heard accusing the woman of headbutting him.

#BREAKING: @MiamiDadePD cop hits woman at Miami International Airport @iflymia #BecauseMiami pic.twitter.com/KnAVipZKtb

— Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) July 2, 2020

Miami mayor Carlos Gimenez called the officer's actions "appalling." 

This is appalling. It’s excessive use of force and unnecessary. That’s NOT what our @MiamiDadePD are trained to do. @MDPD_Director Ramirez has ordered the officer relieved of duty & investigation is underway. This is why I instituted body cameras & MDPD is reviewing all footage. https://t.co/KHDsEohBym

— Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez (@MayorGimenez) July 2, 2020
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