Facebook video of a Miami police officer kicking a suspect in the head during an arrest led the police department to relieve him of duty.
The State Attorney's Office started an investigation Thursday on Officer Mario Figueroa, who is reportedly a two-year veteran, the Miami Police Department said to WPLG.
"He was already in handcuffs and the other one came running out of nowhere and kicked him like a football and basically jumped on him," a resident of Overtown, who filmed the incident, said to WPLG.
The man arrested, identified as 31-year-old David Suazo, was allegedly driving a car that had been reported stolen in Broward County and drove away from officers who tried to pull him over.
Suazo then crashed into a concrete wall, fled the scene on foot and took a “fighting stance” when one officer caught up to him, WPLG reports.
The officer then used a Taser on Suazo but it was ineffective and Suazo continued to run. WPLG said the arrest report does not mention an officer kicking Suazo
The second time officers caught up to Suazo, the resident started to film the incident.
State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement that she is “shocked and appalled” at the officer’s behavior in the video and is the one who opened the investigation, WPLG reports.
Suazo was arrested on a series of charges that include fleeing and eluding a police officer, resisting arrest, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and vehicle grand theft.
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