MIAMI — Video has surfaced of a rough arrest that was conducted by a City of Miami police officer.
The footage shows a tough takedown that took place at a Publix Supermarket in Miami earlier this month.
The supermarket is located on Biscayne Boulevard and 17th Street.
Police confirmed the man being arrested is 58-year-old Willie Barbor.
According to an arrest report, Barbor allegedly took a chicken from the deli and began to eat it while leaving the store.
He was asked by a manager to pay, in which Barbor responded, ‘F*** you, I am homeless. I don’t have any money,” per the arrest report.
He was then asked to leave the store by Officer Alexander Garcia-Contreras, but Barbor allegedly disregarded the orders and walked away.
That’s when the rough arrest that was captured on cellphone camera began to take place.
In the video, Garcia-Contreras can be seen stopping Barbor near the checkout lines. During the takedown video, the officer appears to hit Barbor several times.
That was acknowledged in the arrest report, which stated the officer, “re-directed the defendant to the floor and gave him a couple of distractionary strikes to gain the defendant’s compliance.”
This all took place while shocked shoppers looked on.
Court records show the charges against Barbor, which included petty theft, were dropped after his arrest.
The City of Miami Police Department released a statement that read:
“The Miami Police Department is aware of the incident and has launched an investigation. The involved officer has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation.”
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