It’s Thursday, April 29th - and NBC 6 has the top stories for the day.
No. 1 - A Miami Police officer has been relieved of duty while the department investigates his rough arrest of a homeless man who was suspected of stealing chicken at a Publix that was caught on camera, officials said Wednesday.
The incident happened the evening of April 16th at the Publix at 1776 Biscayne Boulevard. According to an arrest report, the suspect, identified as 58-year-old Willie Barbor, was seen grabbing a chicken from the deli and started eating it as he left the store. When the store manager asked Barbor to pay for the chicken, Barbor said "F---you. I am homeless. I don't have any money," the report said. The officer, who the report said was working an extra duty job at the store, was seen in a brief video posted on social media shoving Barbor and wrestling him to the ground before punching him multiple times in the head and putting handcuffs on him, the Miami Herald reported. To see the video, click here for the story from NBC 6 reporter Kim Wynne.
No. 2 - Newly released police bodycam video shows the moments after Houston Rockets guard Sterling Brown was attacked outside of a Miami strip club.
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The Rockets were in Miami to play the Heat when the incident occurred April 19th. In the bodycam footage, obtained Wednesday, officers approach Brown, who was pressing a bloodied shirt against his head. He tells police he didn't want to talk to them and only wanted an ambulance. The officer tells Brown, "I don't care who you are, if you have a warrant. I'm trying to help," and Brown finally responds to his question, "I'm 26." According to an incident report, Miami-Dade police responded to an anonymous call about a fight in the parking lot of Booby Trap on the River around 7 a.m. and found Brown with multiple lacerations. To see the video, click here for the story from NBC 6 reporter Jamie Guirola.
No. 3 - Florida Republicans moved to ban transgender girls and women from playing on public school teams intended for student athletes born as girls, sending the proposal to Gov. Ron DeSantis and escalating a national culture war over transgender rights.
The measure approved by the GOP-led Legislature Wednesday stripped some of the most contentious elements from a proposal approved by the House two weeks ago. Provisions removed included a requirement that transgender athletes in high schools and colleges undergo testosterone or genetic testing, as well as submit to having their genitalia examined. The latest iteration of the legislation retained an underlying principle asserted by the bill's supporters: Biological and scientific differences between males and females made it unfair for athletes born as boys to compete on teams for girls and women. The national effort to approve such bills prompted the NCAA earlier this month to warn schools that it would consider moving championship events out of states that adopt discriminatory policies.
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No. 4 - President Joe Biden declared Wednesday night in his first address to a joint session of Congress that “America is rising anew," and pointed optimistically to the nation's emergence from the pandemic as a vital moment to rebuild the U.S. economy and fundamentally transform government roles in American life.
Biden marked his first 100 days in office as the nation pushes out of a menacing mix of crises, making his case before a pared-down gathering of mask-wearing legislators because of pandemic restrictions. Speaking in highly personal terms while demanding massive structural changes, the president urged a $1.8 trillion investment in children, families and education to help rebuild an economy devastated by the virus and compete with rising global competitors. Sen. Tim Scott accused Democrats of tearing the country apart and suggested they're wielding race as “a political weapon," using the official Republican response to President Joe Biden’s maiden speech to Congress to credit the GOP for leading the country out of its pandemic struggles and toward a hopeful future.
No. 5 - With vaccines widely available across South Florida, one question that remains is whether employers will require workers to get the shot.
Several cruise lines like Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line decided to require passengers and crew to be vaccinated in order to set sail one day. The cruise industry is the only one that has widely adopted the mandate for employees to be vaccinated before embarking on a trip. NBC 6 asked Susan Norton, a Management, Labor and Employment attorney whether private companies can make their employees get vaccinated, the answer is yes. Click here for her response in a story from NBC 6 reporter Marissa Bagg.
No. 6 - For the Miami Dolphins, history will be made Thursday night as the team will have the No. 6 pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft - the first time the Fins have had that specific pick.
It's a selection that came about when Miami went trade crazy last that saw the Dolphins move down from the No. 3 pick, but also get plenty of picks in future seasons including two in the first round this season. Those trades also likely solidified Tua Tagovailoa's spot as Miami's starting quarterback for the upcoming season. Now, head coach Brian Flores along with general manager Chris Greer and the front office are looking for those who can help get the Dolphins back into the playoffs for the first time since 2016. NBC 6 Sports will have complete coverage with sports anchor Ruthie Polinsky live from Hard Rock Stadium starting at 4 p.m.
