Winter Haven PD releases bodycam video after photo of child with hands behind back circulates on social media

Police: Officers never pointed gun at child

FOX 13's Haley Hinds dives into how the Winter Haven Police Department addressed an incident involving a small child while officers worked to detain two other people on Tuesday.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - The Winter Haven Police Department is addressing an incident that happened Tuesday afternoon involving a small child while officers worked to detain two people.

The backstory:

Officials said Winter Haven police officers were dispatched to Santiago's, which is located at 898 Havendale Boulevard, for a disturbance involving a gun. The police department said the 29-year-old seen with the gun got into an altercation with a store employee in the parking lot, but the 29-year-old man ultimately left the property heading south on Hwy 17.

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A "be on the lookout" (BOLO) was issued after the disturbance for a red Nissan Altima with the 29-year-old as the driver and a woman and small child as the passengers. Officers said they found the vehicle at the American Legion, located at 300 Avenue M NW in Winter Haven.

Dig deeper:

The 29-year-old man and the woman and child had gotten out of the vehicle, and the man was found inside the building where he was quickly apprehended by officers. The 27-year-old woman, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was also directed to get on the ground, and she immediately complied with their orders.

However, her young child mimicked her actions, which sparked outrage on social media from community members.

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The 27-year-old woman was quickly detained by officers, and WHPD said they immediately calmed and cared for the young child.

Bodycam video: Incident involving Winter Haven PD

The Winter Haven Police Department is addressing an incident that happened Tuesday afternoon involving a small child while officers worked to detain two people. Courtesy: The Winter Haven Police Department.

A diamondback 9mm semiautomatic pistol was found inside the vehicle by officers.

What they're saying:

In a press release sent out Wednesday afternoon, WHPD officials stood behind the officers' actions, saying that they "responded with an appropriate level of caution with the understanding there was a weapon involved seeking to resolve the situation."

Authorities said the officer approaching the 27-year-old woman immediately pointed his gun toward the ground when he saw the child. WHPD said the officer's gun was never pointed at the child.

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The department notified the Department of Children and Families of the incident, because "it was a violent crime committed in the presence of a child." However, both the man and woman were released by police, along with they child, because the store employee didn't press charges.

The 29-year-old man, 27-year-old woman and the store employee were not identified by FOX 13, because they were not charged with any crime related to the incident.

What's next:

Officials said that a complaint affidavit was filed with the State Attorney's Office for the 29-year-old man for affray, which means fighting in a public setting, and improper display of a weapon. A complaint affidavit was also filed for the store employee for affray.

Winter Haven Police Chief Vance Monroe, Assistant City Manager for Public Safety Charlie Bird and City Manager T. Michael Stavres are expected to address the incident at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

The Source: The information in this story was released by the Winter Haven Police Department.

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