We get complaints about police brutality on a regular basis – and while some cases are being dealt with, many go unheard.
But tonight one man says enough is enough and he is speaking out for the rights of all victims.
Andy Cruz had an encounter with 3 police officers on Tuesday night – after he was chased and then pulled over. According to Cruz, he was chasing down a Benque Bus for a friend to board but did not notice that he was being pursued by a police mobile. Police allegedly fired a shot police towards Cruz's vehicle that caused him to pull over. With his head bandaged and his newborn in hand, he told us about the madness that then unfolded.
Andy Cruz - Claims Police Brutality
"I stopped my vehicle and when I stopped the police told me to step out of the vehicle backwards."
Monica Bodden
"You didn't have any idea that the police were behind your vehicle while traveling? You didn't know they were chasing you?"
Andy Cruz
"No because I was rushing - when I stepped out of the vehicle they actually handcuffed me backwards and when this happened the two officers just continuously kept hitting me in my head with their gun that they had in their hands. As you notice this hit on the side of my face right now - the only part of my nose that I can feel is over here - everything else is numb. My eyes are really irritating me right now, I can't even take the pain in my head and this that is happening and the way the shooting happened - if you had any problem with me then you could have handcuffed me and take me to the police precinct. But the way the shooting happened, now if you shot inside my door and my vehicle was straight and you happened to have caught my baby..."
Monica Bodden
"Because your wife and your month old baby were inside the vehicle?"
Andy Cruz
"Exactly."
Monica Bodden
"So while they're beating you - were they asking you any questions? Anybody asked anything and tell you why they were beating you?"
Andy Cruz
"Nothing at all - no kind of questions. For my vehicle - they didn't even ask me for my driver's license, no kind of ID."
Monica Bodden
"So they just kept on beating you and not explaining what was happening?"
Andy Cruz
"Nothing they didn't ask anything - they just continuously kept on beating me for nothing."
Cruz also alleges that the officers threatened his life. So far he has visited the Ombudsman and is awaiting an outcome before he takes legal action.
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