A short cellphone clip now ricocheting around social media shows three Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies pinning and repeatedly striking a 41-year-old man after a traffic stop in Tamarac, according to his family. Relatives say the recording has left them demanding answers and has once again put BSO’s use-of-force tactics under the microscope.
CBS News Miami published the video and reported that the man’s family is calling for justice after the footage spread online. In the clip, three deputies are seen on top of the man, with one deputy punching him while another appears to land multiple blows to his head.
Local 10 identified the man as 41-year-old Christopher Newkirk and reported that the traffic stop unfolded just before 4 p.m. outside the Shell at 5001 N. State Road 7 in Tamarac. Newkirk’s relatives told the station he was left with a swollen and bruised eye, cuts, and a deep gash on his forehead after the encounter. According to Local 10, Newkirk is being held at the Broward Main Jail with no bond and is expected to appear before a judge on Thursday.
What the footage shows
The video segment shows one deputy with a closed fist striking Newkirk in the face while two others hold him down, then another deputy delivering a series of blows to his head, according to the clip published by CBS News Miami. The brief but intense scene has led family members and many viewers to describe what they are seeing as a beating rather than a routine takedown.
BSO response and legal review
The Broward Sheriff’s Office told reporters the traffic stop began because of tinted windows and that deputies recovered fentanyl, Xanax, flakka and crack cocaine. The agency said Newkirk was on federal probation and “began to violently resist,” striking at least one deputy, according to Local 10. BSO said one deputy was treated at a hospital for ankle and wrist injuries.
The sheriff’s office also confirmed that its internal affairs division is reviewing the incident and that its findings will be sent to the department’s use-of-force review board.
This clip is the latest viral video to raise questions about how deputies use force in Broward County, and it is likely to face close scrutiny from both the department and Newkirk’s family as the review continues. We will monitor court filings and official reports and update this story as more information becomes available.
