City of Miami firefighter caught on camera punching ER patient while restrained

By MARISELA BURGOS

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    MIAMI, Florida (WSVN) — Dramatic surveillance video captured the moment a Miami firefighter pummeled a patient who had requested to be taken to the emergency room, and it’s not the first time the first responder has been in the headlines.

In the security footage, obtained on Monday by 7News, the firefighter is seen punching the patient multiple times inside Jackson Memorial Hospital back on Oct. 15.

The video starts right after rescue crews brought in the patient, identified as Antonio Cruz.

Cruz is seen up on the stretcher with his body is partially turned around. He appears to be saying something to the rescue personnel.

According to a report, Cruz was taken into custody for something else and requested to go to the hospital after consuming cocaine and heroin. He was handcuffed to the stretcher.

The video clip 7News obtained does not have any audio, but according to the report, the patient was “agitated and screaming to the rescue personnel.”

7News was told the firefighter’s name is Robert Webster.

The video then shows Cruz spitting in Webster’s direction.

The report confirms that is what happened at that precise moment.

It was at this moment when Webster began punching Cruz. The firefighter is seen striking the patient several times.

The other rescue members pulled Webster away from Cruz. It took them some time to get the firefighter to stop.

While the fire department has not confirmed his name, Webster’s name may sound familiar.

A few years ago, Webster was very vocal following his colleagues’ termination after they were accused of hanging a noose over his family picture.

They were also accused of drawing sexually explicit images on the family photo.

Four of those firefighters were charged.

Now, Webster is on the other side of the law and under investigation.

The fire department released a statement about the video that reads, “The City of Miami Department of Fire Rescue was made aware of a video released of an incident involving a Miami firefighter. 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.”

A 7News crew went to Webster’s home. Through a Ring doorbell, he said he has no comment.

At the time of the incident, Cruz was initially charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. He has a hearing scheduled for January.

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