FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Newly released officer-worn body camera video captured the aftermath of what authorities described as a hate crime on a postal worker in Fort Lauderdale that led to a man’s arrest.
Fort Lauderdale Police officers’ body cameras were rolling as they arrived at the scene of the incident on the afternoon of Oct. 24, 2023.
“What happened? I see a little bit of blood on your right,” an officer said to the mail carrier.
“He grabbed me. He took my hijab and everything,” said the mail carrier.
The 47-year-old victim, a Muslim woman employed by the United States Postal Service, said she was out delivering mail when the suspect, 47-year-old Kenneth Pinkney, approached her on a bicycle.
“He was riding his bicycle, and I’m like, ‘Excuse me,’ and the only thing that I – he was like, you know, like he was pointing with a gun,” said the mail carrier.
“He was pretending to point with a gun?” said the officer.
“He was telling me, you know, ‘Go back to your country.’ I said, ‘You know what? Just leave me alone,'” said the mail carrier.
But in bodycam video showing a police officer speaking with Pinkney, the suspect told a different story.
“So you came up to her, asked her about the change of address,” said the officer.
“Yes,” said Pinkney.
“And then, out of nowhere, she just starts disrespecting your family,” said the officer.
“I rolled up, asked and – this is America. You have the right to walk and ask for what you want, so that’s all I did, and then it went left with her,” said Pinkney.
Pinkney told the officer that the postal worker ripped his T-shirt.
“She put her hands on me first,” he said.
“She ripped your shirt,” said the officer.
“You see my shirt,” said Pinkney.
“I do, I do, but she did that to you. She called you names and ripped your shirt?” said the officer.
“Yes, sir,” said Pinkney.
“Out of nowhere,” said the officer.
The mail carrier told police she tried to avoid the suspect, and that’s when Pinkney tried to grab her.
“[He said], ‘Go back to your country, go back to your country,'” she said, “and that’s when, you know, I’m getting in my truck.”
“OK,” said the officer.
“I’m getting in my truck, and that’s when he was spitting on the truck,” said the mail carrier.
“OK,” said the officer.
“And then, I had the window down, and he’s spitting on my face,” said the mail carrier. “When I’m trying to close the door, he grabbed me from my feet, he removed my hijab.”
“OK,” said the officer.
“And then, you know what? That’s when I’m feeling, you know, the slap,” said the mail carrier.
“He started slapping you in the face?” said the officer.
“Yes,” said the mail carrier.
Pinkney was actually the one who called 911. Bodycam video captured part of a phone conversation between the suspect and a responding officer.
“And you’re over there right now? I just want to figure out what’s going on in there where I can give you a case card,” said the officer.
“Man, I’m right here, man. I’m on Powerline [Road], man,” said Pinkney.
Pinkney was questioned and arrested. He was charged with assault on a federal employee and also charged with a hate crime.
Bodycam video captured the moment two officers placed the suspect in handcuffs.
“What you doing, Dad? You’re handcuffing me? What are you doing? Why are they taking me prisoner for this [expletive]?” said Pinkney.
Once inside a police cruiser, the reality of the situation appeared to set in for Pinkney.
“Dad! Get my phone, Dad! Get my phone! Get my phone, Dad!” he said.
Pinkney was taken to jail and eventually pleaded guilty. He will be spending the next three years in a federal prison.
The mail carrier suffered scratches to her face.
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