'This Is How You Guys Get Killed', Says Florida Officer to Black Motorist
A Miami-Dade County police officer was placed on desk duty after footage emerged of him telling a black motorist “this is how you guys get killed out here” during a traffic stop, local media reported.
Video from Gerardson Nicolas shows part of his interaction with the officer, who standing at Nicolas driver’s side door, which was open.
The footage starts with the officer asking Nicolas, “Do you want to go to jail today?”
“I’m going to work,” Nicolas responds.
“No, you’re not going to work. You’re going to give me your driver’s license,” the officer says. “Give me your driver’s license, registration and insurance. If not, you will not be going to work today,” he continues. “Simple thing, man. This is how you guys get killed out here, man,” the police officer says, prompting alarm from Nicolas.
Nicolas immediately asks him to repeat what he said, and raises his camera to face the police officer. The officer, aggravated by Nicolas’s responses, repeats his request for Nicolas’s documents but then says, “You don’t want to give to me?” before trying to slam Nicolas’s car door shut.
Nicolas stops the door from closing and asks the officer. “Why are we getting killed? What are we getting killed for?”
The officer points his finger at Nicolas and says “don’t do that again” and then walks away from the vehicle.
Nicolas told NBC 6 he was driving his mother’s car and was taking time to find the documents requested because he did not know where they stored.
“I was looking for my wallet and that wasn’t my car, that was my mom’s car and I didn’t know where the registration was. I was looking, looking. He got mad,” Nicolas said.
In a statement to NBC 6, Miami-Dade Police said the officer had been moved to desk duty as they conducted a review of the incident. Credit: Gerardson Nicolas via Storyful
Video Transcript
- You go to jail today?
GERARDSON NICOLAS: I'm-- I'm going to work, man.
- No, you're not going to work.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: I'm going to work.
- You're gonna give me your driver's license. Give me your driver's license, registration, and insurance. If not, you will not be going to work today. Simple thing, man. This is how you guys get killed out here, man. Registration and insurance.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: What? Say that again?
- My God.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: Say that again.
- All you have to do--
GERARDSON NICOLAS: Say what you just said.
- Registration and insurance. You don't want to give them to me?
GERARDSON NICOLAS: Why we get killed? Why we get killed for? OK. OK.
- Don't do that again.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: Why we get killed for?
- Don't do that again.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: Why we get killed for?
- Don't do it again.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: OK, I got you in recording.
- You go to jail today?
GERARDSON NICOLAS: I'm-- I'm going to work, man.
- No, you're not going to work.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: I'm going to work.
- You're gonna give me your driver's license. Give me your driver's license, registration, and insurance. If not, you will not be going to work today. Simple thing, man. This is how you guys get killed out here, man. Registration and insurance.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: What? Say that again?
- My God.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: Say that again.
- All you have to do--
GERARDSON NICOLAS: Say what you just said.
- Registration and insurance. You don't want to give them to me?
GERARDSON NICOLAS: Why we get killed? Why we get killed for? OK. OK.
- Don't do that again.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: Why we get killed for?
- Don't do that again.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: Why we get killed for?
- Don't do it again.
GERARDSON NICOLAS: OK, I got you in recording.
