Miami police officer relieved of duty after Facebook post about protesters
MIAMI -- A Miami police officer has been relieved of duty without pay after a post about an 8-year-old’s killer appeared on his Facebook page, CBS Miami station WFOR-TV reports.
Andrew Mesa, a 10-year veteran with the Miami Police Department, shared on his page a passionate Facebook video post from a cousin of 8-year-old Jada Page, who was shot and killed last month.
“I know somebody knows something, man,” Page’s cousin Eugene Spence says in the video. “I know somebody knows something, so at the same time we want justice for Jada.”
The family is desperate to find the little girl’s killer, and they’ve been vocal about their plea for someone to come forward.
But the post not only got a lot of attention, it may have also gotten Mesa in trouble.
“Share this post,” Spence says in the video. “Post up whatever you got to do. If you want to donate money to Crime Stoppers, talk.”
Mesa shared the video, along with some angry commentary toward communities that speak out about police use of deadly force.
Referring to Jada’s killer, he says in part, “What will happen if they force police to defend themselves and deadly force is the only option... Will you say their hands were up? Then come burn our city down? Will the lucky cop loose (sic) his job and get blasted on the media as a killer and face false murder charges?”
He ends his post using the hashtag #GoGetTheKillersYourSelves.
Miami police told WFOR-TV that Mesa is “home, relieved of pay” while an investigation is being conducted.
The department would not say why he’s being investigated.
The Miami Fraternal Order of Police is representing Mesa.
In a statement, it said, “Law enforcement officers are frustrated with communities that stay tight lipped and won’t turn in individuals that murder innocent children like little Jada.”
Spence called the post “ignorant.”