Rough arrest caught on camera, police accused of looking for trouble
Sources: WPLG & NBC
Police say they showed up to scene amid numerous complaints of drug dealing, loitering in area
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A tough takedown at a South Florida strip mall was caught on camera.
Local 10 News spoke to a man who said he was roughed up by officers in northeast Miami-Dade while trying to defend his girlfriend.
“He put her at the floor,” Byjhon Losier said.
The arrest happened late Monday night outside the Food Giant in the 15000 block of Northeast Sixth Avenue.
A woman was thrown to the ground, which led to the situation then escalating even further.
A Miami-Dade police officer ended up pulling his gun on a handful of onlookers.
Losier showed Local 10 News’ Cody Weddle his injuries.
“All my body is (expletive) up now. My mouth,” he said.
Losier and others were at the strip mall when Miami-Dade police arrived to patrol the area.
His girlfriend, Roqueria Dowdell, started questioning the officers about what they were doing there.
“The police tell her, ‘Shut the (expletive) up.’ She say, ‘I can speak, that’s a free country, I can speak,’” Losier said.
Losier says he stepped in when those officers tried to arrest his girlfriend.
“I think she was just talking,” said Renald Pierre, who recorded the incident. “She was just talking, ‘Freedom of speech, I can talk, y’all ain’t telling me to shut up.’”
Losier lost a front tooth when he says officers pushed his head into the ground.
“I’m not feel good. I’m not feel good now,” he said.
Many in the area accused police of looking for trouble.
Police account
In an arrest report, police wrote that officers with MDPD’s Intercoastal District Crime Suppression Team were working a “proactive detail” in the area, “which has had numerous complaints of males selling narcotics, drinking alcohol, and loitering in the corner.”
Police said they made contact with a group of “several males loitering in the corner of the supermarket drinking alcoholic beverages.”
“While conducting pat downs for officer safety of the aforementioned individuals, (Dowdell) started yelling profanities towards these detectives causing numerous individuals to exit several stores within the proximity,” the arresting officer wrote. “(Dowdell) was ordered to be quiet several times, causing (me) to redirect my attention from the male I was patting down to her.”
Police said that Dowdell continued to shout profanities, causing a large crowd to gather around, creating a disturbance.
They wrote that they attempted to take Dowdell into custody, but she resisted and punched a detective in the face.
Officers said Losier “dove to intervene” as his girlfriend was being arrested. In the report, police said he suffered “minor abrasions” amid the fracas.
Dowdell was arrested on charges of resisting arrest, battery on a police officer and disorderly conduct.
Losier faces a charge of resisting arrest.
An MDPD spokesperson said the agency was “aware of the video and (is) looking into the matter.”
Copyright 2022 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
How We Can Help
If you, a friend or a family member find themselves in a situation such as this, please call the Law Office of Scott A. Ferris, P.A. at 305 670-3330 right away. Scott A. Ferris, Esq. is a licensed attorney who has been practicing law for 34 years. He is available whenever you need him to defend your rights. Please learn about our firm at www.FerrisLawFirm.com.
Republished by the Law Office of Scott A. Ferris, P.A.