American NFL player Tyreek Hill has said he is “still shell shocked” after bodycam footage showed police pulling him from his car and forcing him to the ground.
Hill, a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, was detained by police for an alleged driving violation on Sunday, while driving to the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
In the hours following the incident, he went on to score a touchdown in the first game of the NFL season.
In his first interview following the incident, Hill told CNN he was “embarrassed” by the situation.
“I was shocked. It was crazy because it all happened so fast. Like for me, it just all happened so fast and I really couldn’t like gather everything that was happening,” he said.
“I wasn’t moving fast because you know I got injuries, I got things that I go through. I play a physical sport, I’ve been doing this for a moment now man so I’m dealing with some stuff, so I guess the officers they felt like I wasn’t doing it on their timing… I was doing it.
“I’m still kind of shell-shocked from it. I’m embarrassed.”
On Sunday, the Miami-Dade Police Department announced an investigation into the incident and said one of the officers involved has been placed on administrative leave.
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The South Florida Police Benevolent Association on Monday defended the officers involved, stating Hill was not arrested and was uncooperative.
They added the officers were working in the interest of their own safety.
Hill disputed the police union’s accusations saying that he had handed over his identification, but did not want to keep his window rolled down as fans drove past him.
When asked if he thought he was speeding, he said, “I have no idea, I have no idea. But I wasn’t going like 80 or 70 or 60… It’s surprising to me that I got pulled over.”
Hill told CNN he is trying not to think about what might have happened if he was not a famous American football player.
“If I wasn’t Tyreek Hill, worst-case scenario, we would’ve had a different article. Tyreek Hill got shot in front of Hard Rock Stadium, that’s worst-case scenario,” he said.
Hill scored a touchdown in Miami’s 20-17 win over the Jaguars on Sunday and celebrated by putting his arms behind his back with his wrists together.
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