Hours after Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett shared his recent experience of police brutality, TMZ Sports released partial video footage of the incident on Wednesday.
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The video complies with Bennett's testimony that he was handcuffed facedown by force and told police "I wasn't doing nothing man! I was here with my friends! They told us to get out, everybody ran," after a noise that sounded like gunshots blared through the Las Vegas streets following the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fight less than two weeks ago.
Bennett is also shown pleading with the officer to explain to him what he is being accused of while also referring to him as "sir" as he's being handcuffed in the video.
Early Wednesday morning, Bennett shared his experience in an open letter via Twitter.
Equality. pic.twitter.com/NQ4pJt94AZ
— Michael Bennett (@mosesbread72) September 6, 2017
Bennett claimed he ran away from the sound in consideration of his own safety and had an officer pull a gun on him, order him to the ground and threatened to shoot him if he moved. He added that a second cop came over and put a knee in his back to detain him.
Bennett said he was handcuffed by the officers and sat in the back of a police car until they confirmed his identity.
"The Officers' excessive use of force was unbearable," Bennett wrote. "I felt helpless as I lay there on the ground handcuffed facing the real-life threat of being killed. All I could think of was "I'm going to die for no other reason than I am black and my skin color is somehow a threat.' My life flashed before my eyes as I thought of my girls. Would I ever play with them again? Or watch them have kids? Or be able to kiss my wife again and tell her I love her."
The former Super Bowl champion has been one of the most outspoken players participating in the protests opposing the unequal treatment of minorities by law enforcement started by free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick last year.
Bennett noted that the incident and those similar are why he has chosen to sit during the national anthem and plans to continue to, "because equality doesn't live in this country and no matter how much money you make, what job title you have, or how much you give, when you are seen as a N—-, you will be treated that way."
