MIAMI – When a video showed Officer Alexander Garcia recently punching a homeless man repeatedly in the head, John Veiga said he recognized him.
Veiga said he filed a complaint against Garcia in 2019. Garcia allegedly punched him in the head during an arrest in Wynwood. An internal affairs investigation found Garcia acted “discourteously.”
Records show Garcia has had seven use of force incidents since he joined the Miami Police Department in 2015. Miami Chief Art Acevedo said on Thursday that Garcia was relieved of duty and the investigation was ongoing.
“We are going to make our assessments and then we will report back to our community,” Acevedo said.
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