MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - New body camera footage captures the arrest of Colombia’s soccer federation president and his son following an embarrassing night for Copa America soccer and South Florida.
The VIP pair were arrested during a chaotic night at the Hard Rock Stadium on July 14.
In video obtained exclusively by 7News, 71-year-old Ramón Jesurún and his son, Ramon Jamil Jesurún Jr., were placed in handcuffs by Miami-Dade Police officers after, police said, the son fought a security guard when they weren’t immediately allowed into the field.
“Ready to walk?” an officer tells Jesurún.
“I don’t have to explain anything. I haven’t done anything,” said Jesurún. “They’re ending my career with Copa.”
The championship game between Colombia and Argentina was upstaged by a lawless tsunami of fans without tickets overwhelming the security, rushing into the stadium and leading to dozens of arrests and international scrutiny.
“This is the worst, (expletive) stadium in the whole world!” said a fan.
Despite having tickets to the game, Jesurún Jr. was seen menacingly clenching his fist and engaging with a woman who, the police said, was trying to maintain order, as VIPs tried accessing the field.
Video shows Jesurún Jr. being held back by a child.
Police said Jesurún Jr. beat up a male security guard when he and his father weren’t immediately allowed to the field.
The pair were detained and taken to the Guilford Turner Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade.
“You have cuffs on them,” an officer said after the dad and son duo arrived to jail.
As police began arresting rule breakers, the fan frenzy was seen worldwide.
“Everybody just started running in,” said another fan.
“Absolutely terrible,” a third fan said.
“Everybody flooded us. I thought we were gonna die,” a fourth fan said.
Another fan recorded several people trying to enter the stadium through the ventilation system.
After the arrest, 7News caught up with the father and son as they were being released.
Jesurún denied the allegations.
“I pushed no one; I defended myself, but watch the video, watch the video. But look, we had access,” he said in Spanish.
Jesurún then showed 7News cameras a lanyard with a photo ID and a red sign that reads “All Access.”
However, their special passes did not matter to officers, who have the Jesurúns access to lockup.
The father and son face charges of battery. A court date has not been set.
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