Officer 'crushed eyewitness's phone and held gun to his head as he recorded fatal shootout'

• Eyewitness says he removed memory card from phone and put it in his mouth before police took the device

By Mark Duell

(The Daily Mail) Police officers crushed a man’s phone and held a gun to his head in an effort to destroy a recording he made of a fatal shootout, he claims.


Narces Benoit saw the officers shoot dead Raymond Herisse, 22, in Miami Beach, Florida, last week after the suspect sped off and drove recklessly.

Mr Benoit was nearby with girlfriend Ericka Davis when one of the officers allegedly put a gun to his head, handcuffed him and smashed his phone.

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Pistol: Narces Benoit was nearby a crime scene when one of the officers allegedly put a gun to his head, handcuffed him and smashed his phone

Herisse was stopped in his car for driving recklessly at 4am on Memorial Day before he sped off after an altercation, police told CNN.

He was hitting other cars, driving on the pavement and struck a police officer before coming to a stop at an intersection, police said.

A YouTube video shows around a dozen officers surrounding his car, later found to have a gun inside, and pointing pistols at it before they open fire. 

Herrisse was killed and four bystanders were also injured, police said, but Mr Benoit and Ms Davis said the force used by officers was ‘excessive’.

Scene: Mr Benoit saw the officers shoot dead Raymond Herisse, 22, in Miami Beach, Florida, last week after the suspect sped off and drove recklessly

Eyewitnesses: Mr Benoit, left, who was with girlfriend Ericka Davis, claimed a police officer jumped into his truck when he noticed him recording video

Mr Benoit claimed a police officer jumped into his truck when he noticed him recording video on his mobile phone, and put a pistol to his head.

‘My phone was smashed - he stepped on it, handcuffed me,’ he told CNN.

He said he only still has the footage because he took the memory card out of the phone and put it in his mouth before handing over the device.

A Miami police spokesman said he could not comment on eyewitness handling as an internal investigation or civil lawsuit may be launched.

Dead: Herisse was striking other cars, driving on the pavement and struck a police officer before coming to a stop at an intersection, officers said

But he confirmed police were looking for other suspects after the shooting.

However Ms Davis told CNN they were handled like ‘criminals’ and police ‘took everyone's phones and smashed them’.

Mr Benoit, who was questioned and released, said he is considering suing police over his treatment.

Television station Local 10 said police would not tell them why one of its cameras was confiscated on the same morning.

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