An officer with the Miami Police Department has been suspended after a video surfaced on social media, allegedly showing him punching a man in a patrol car.
The man in the backseat of that patrol car spoke out exclusively to NBC 6 on Monday.
The police department has made it very clear they are going to get to the bottom of what happened when the man was taken into custody.
Tony Zaldivar said he was completely caught off guard, that the officer struck him without warning and in a nutshell, he was mistreated.
"I was placed in handcuffs. I walked to the police car. I sat in the car. It was hot that day in the back of the car and I got punched," said Zaldivar.
Video taken by a Miami resident shows Zaldivar, 26, after he was handcuffed. The now suspended officer, John Hinson, is seen placing Zaldivar in the back of the car and then allegedly punching him.
"I was mistreated. I was already in handcuffs. I couldn't defend myself or nothing," Zaldivar said.
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The police report said Zaldivar had been arrested for disorderly conduct and trespassing and became irate and started cursing. But that's not what Zaldivar said. He said he didn't have a conversation with the officer once he was in the backseat, or say anything to him.
Police said they immediately took action once they saw the video.
"We're gonna investigate this thoroughly. If we find that the actions were inappropriate, then the officer will receive appropriate punishment," said Major Delrish Moss with Miami Police.
Zaldivar said he expects the Miami Police Department to take the appropriate action, "Do what's right. Whatever they think is right, they should do it."
Zaldivar expressed that he was really surprised by what happened when he was in the back of the patrol car. He was very clear that he wasn't agitating the officer and was stunned by all of this.
Officer Hinson has been with the department for six years. He has been suspended with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation.
