A lieutenant with the City of Miami Fire Department was caught beating a man who was handcuffed on a stretcher.
The events occurred on October 15 at Jackson Memorial Hospital, but were announced this week.
According to the arrest form released Tuesday, the victim, identified as Antonio Cruz, 29, was likely under the influence of cocaine and heroin.
Police officers found him at Northwest 22 Court and 28 Street, in the Allapattah area of Miami, and asked for help from fire rescue personnel, who transported him to the Jackson emergency room.
According to the report, Cruz was "agitated and yelling at rescue personnel." At one point, he spat in the face of Robert Webster, who was standing aside looking at his tablet on a counter. The saliva made contact with the right side of the officer's face.
The video of the incident lasts about 40 seconds and has no audio. In it, Webster is seen responding to the attack by lunging at the man who was handcuffed, hitting him several times in the face, while his co-workers try to stop him.
The City of Miami Fire and Rescue Department announced in a statement that the lieutenant was immediately relieved of duty following the incident, which remains under investigation.
"The department was made aware of a released video of an incident involving a Miami firefighter. When this incident occurred, the individual was immediately relieved of duty. Our department is conducting an administrative investigation while this individual remains in custody. state of relief from duty," the text states.
The officer, for his part, assures that he does not regret his actions.
"If you've never known the consequences of spitting in a grown man's face, then consider my actions public education and this video a public service announcement," he told NBC 6.
It is not the first time that the lieutenant has appeared in the media. In 2019 he reported to NBC 6 that he had found some ropes hanging over photos of his family at the fire station.
"I want justice. I want to love this job again," he said then.
As reported CBS, Antonio Cruz was charged with aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer.
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