A family is demanding accountability after a video appeared to show deputies with the Broward Sheriff’s Office punching a man during an arrest in Tamarac on Tuesday.
The footage, recorded by drivers near State Road 7 and Commercial Boulevard, shows 41-year-old Christopher Newkirk on the ground while three deputies restrain him. Two deputies appear to strike him in the face as they hold him down.
Newkirk’s daughter, Chrishelle Newkirk, said the video has been heartbreaking for the family.
“I just can’t believe this happened to my dad,” she said.
Newkirk’s sister, Aubre Fields, said she rushed to the scene after seeing the video online but could not find her brother and feared the worst.
A booking photo released after the arrest shows Newkirk with a large cut on his face and injuries around his eyes. Fields said the image left her angry.
“I know what my brother looked like before that. That’s what I want the world to see,” she said.
According to court documents, deputies initially stopped Newkirk for illegally tinted windows. Authorities said they searched him after learning he was on probation for armed narcotics trafficking and reported finding drugs under his waistband. Deputies claim he began struggling during the encounter.
Newkirk now faces several charges, including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, and possession of multiple drugs with intent to sell.
In their report, deputies said Newkirk engaged in a violent struggle and struck the officers at the scene.
However, his family disputes that account. While acknowledging his past drug-related charges, they insist he is not violent.
“Even with my dad’s past, he would never put his hands on an officer,” his daughter said.
Chrishelle Newkirk also said she has not been able to speak with her father since his arrest and is asking authorities to release body camera footage.
“I need to talk to my dad and see him face-to-face,” she said. “I need to see the body cam and everything.”
The Broward Sheriff’s Office said its Internal Affairs Unit is reviewing the incident, and the agency’s Use of Force Review Board will also examine the case.