MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Surveillance video shows a man punching a police officer unconscious on Tuesday in a room at the Miami-Dade Police Department headquarters in Doral.
The officer took Nestor Rodriguez to a room to fingerprint him. The video shows Rodriguez, 32, outpowered the officer. A department employee heard the noise, opened the door to investigate, and intervened.
Detective Alvaro Zabaleta, a spokesman for the department, said the officer was treated at the hospital and was back home recovering on Wednesday.
“Fortunately, a forensics civilian comes in and they are able to restrain him, but he begins to fight again,” Zabaleta said.
Rodriguez was detained after receiving a report about a threatening man who was armed with a knife in southwest Miami-Dade. He was armed with an 8-inch knife and refused to answer questions, police said.
Director Freddy Ramirez was outraged after learning the officer suffered lacerations to his face, according to Zabaleta. He related it to the video showing a man recently punching a uniformed Miami-Dade police officer at Miami International Airport.
“The 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,” Ramirez said in a statement.
Rodriguez remains in custody but had yet to face charges on Wednesday evening.