MIAMI, FLORIDA: A firefighter, who was caught on video punching a handcuffed patient on a stretcher, reportedly said that he had no regrets over his actions. The fire department stated that following the event on October 15, the fireman, Lt Robert Webster, was relieved of duty and was currently the subject of an inquiry.
The incident happened when the handcuffed patient, Antonio Cruz, who police said was under the influence of drugs, was seen shouting at the firefighter and spitting at him. Responding to NBC News, Webster said, "If he never knew the consequence of spitting in a grown man’s face, consider my actions a public education."
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A video of the incident shows a shirtless Cruz, flailing on a gurney while surrounded by EMTs and police at Jackson Memorial Hospital. According to WSVN, he was sent to the hospital while under the influence of cocaine and heroin after being arrested on an undisclosed offense. He yelled at the emergency personnel and then spit in the direction of Webster, according to the station. Webster immediately began raining blows down on him as he tried his best to avoid the onslaught while handcuffed to the stretcher. Several other officials at the scene attempted to intervene as the stretcher skidded across the hospital floor.
The City of Miami Department of Fire-Rescue said in a statement that Webster was immediately relieved of duty following the incident. "When this incident occurred, the individual was immediately Relieved of Duty. Our department is conducting an administrative investigation while this individual remains in a Relieved of Duty status," the agency reportedly said. Webster said that he did not regret his actions and that "if he never knew the consequence of spitting in a grown man’s face, then consider my actions public education and this video a [public service announcement]."
In 2019, Webster told the station about an incident in which he discovered nooses hanging over his family's portraits at the fire station. According to The Miami Herald, "Someone created a noose out of twine and hung it over a family photo of a black lieutenant," and six of Webster's firefighter colleagues were terminated. "I want justice, I want to love this job again," Webster said then, according to the station.
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