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A Florida firefighter punches a handcuffed Latino patient in the face. He says that he has no regrets

2022-12-15T01:53:28.998Z


The attack was recorded in a now-viral video that was filmed inside a Miami hospital. The rescuer, identified as Robert Webster, has been suspended from his employment while the incident on October 15 is investigated.


By Antonio Planas -

NBC News

A Miami (Florida) firefighter has been temporarily suspended and is being investigated after being caught on video brutally punching a handcuffed Latino man in the face who was being treated at a hospital, local authorities said.

The firefighter, identified as Robert Webster, said he hit the patient during the incident on October 15

after he spit on him

.

He showed no remorse.

"If you didn't think about the consequences of spitting in an adult's face, then consider my actions as a public education and this video as a public service announcement," the firefighter told local television station NBC 6 in South Florida. .

Webster, who was a lieutenant with the Miami Fire and Rescue Department, said he did not regret punching the patient as he lay handcuffed on a gurney in the Jackson Memorial Hospital emergency room.

The video from the hospital security cameras that recorded the incident has no audio and lasts about 40 seconds.

Webster could not immediately be reached Wednesday to respond to a request for comment.

A representative for the Miami Fire and Rescue Department issued a statement in which he said

the firefighter was placed on temporary leave

pending completion of an ongoing investigation.

[A violent incident between a Los Angeles councilman and a community activist is investigated]

“The City of Miami Fire and Rescue Department was made aware of a video posted of an incident involving a Miami firefighter,” the statement said.

“When this incident occurred,

the individual was immediately relieved of his duties

from him.

Our department is conducting an administrative investigation."

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The video from the hospital security cameras that recorded the incident has no audio and lasts about 40 seconds.

NBC 6

identified the assaulted patient as Antonio Cruz

.

According to a police report, Cruz was "agitated and yelling at staff" at the hospital at the time of the attack.

According to the news station, the man had used cocaine and heroin.

The video appears to show Cruz spitting in Webster's direction.

The firefighter then approaches him and hits him several times before he is restrained by people in uniform.

It's unclear what happened before the short video or if it was edited out.

Miami Police did not immediately respond to questions from NBC News about the incident.

It is also unclear if Webster or Cruz have been indicted on any charges in connection with the incident.

Source: telemundo

All news articles on 2022-12-15

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