MIAMI — A man’s video of his interaction with a Miami-Dade police officer during a traffic stop has led to an investigation because of some comments made by the officer.
The video, posted on social media, shows a man identified as Gerardson Nicolas, who was pulled over for not wearing his seat belt in North Miami Beach, WTVJ reported.
In the video, after asking for the driver’s license and registration, the officer can be heard saying, “This is how you guys get killed out here, man.” The driver can be heard saying that he felt that he was being threatened.
Nicolas told WPLG that he feared for his life at the moment, and that the officer had also grabbed the keys out of his car’s ignition.
“I can’t stop thinking about it,” Nicolas told the station. “Still to this day, I can’t.”
In a statement to WTVJ, the Miami-Dade Police Department said that an internal affairs investigation was underway, and that 30 minutes of body camera footage and other evidence would be reviewed. The department added that the officer involved was moved to desk duty.
Steadman Stahl, the president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, told The Miami Herald that he believes Nicolas misunderstood the officer, who rather than making a racially charged comment, was speaking about the danger of not wearing a seat belt.
Nicolas was pulled over for the seat belt violation and cited for not having proof of insurance or registration, but later provided proof when his mother came with those documents, WSVN reported.