(WATCH) Officer Knocked Unconscious By Prisoner At Miami-Dade Police Headquarters (VIDEO)
A surveillance video has been released that shows an officer being knocked unconscious after being attacked by a prisoner.
In a holding cell, according to Miami-Dade Police, the prisoner refused to comply with commands while being booked and fingerprinted on Tuesday night at police headquarters in Doral and began striking the officer in the face.
According to the police, the prisoner continued to deliver violent punches to the officer even after the officer lost consciousness.
Another employee, wearing an orange forensics shirt, rushed into the holding cell to help and backup officers rushed in to apprehend the prisoner.
Miami-Dade Police Department Detective Alavaro Zabaleta said, “It’s disturbing when you see the video. An unprovoked attack, that’s what that was. It wasn’t a fight, it was an attack that we could’ve easily had another funeral.”
This incident on law enforcement occurred only a few days after another Miami-Dade Police Department officer was assaulted by a passenger during a large altercation at Miami International Airport.
Miami-Dade Police Department’s Director of Public Safety said in a statement, “this continued violence against our law enforcement officers is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We must come together as one to protect our community and our police officers from those that choose to engage in vicious acts.”
— Miami-Dade Police (@MiamiDadePD) December 22, 2021
The officer who was assaulted at police headquarters was taken to the hospital and discharged recently.
Zabaleta said, “this is an individual just like every other officer. Put on the uniform to go to work, said goodbye to their loved ones, and that could’ve been the last time.”
Nestor Rodriguez has been identified as the suspect, and he was taken to a local hospital late Wednesday night.
