Full Video Shows Buckeye Police Officer Not Truthful About Immigrant Being Uncooperative

A full selfie video recorded by an Arizona immigrant who was threaten to be killed, if he moved by a Buckeye police officer during a traffic stop shows that he complied with all of the officer's demand and was cooperative, despite a press release by the police department issued saying that he wasn't.

By H. Nelson Goodson

October 15,  2014

Buckeye, Arizona - A full selfie video of about 12:26 minutes posted on the Internet shows Teodulo Sánchez on October 10 driving for about seven minutes and following the speed limit when he was then pulled over by a Buckeye police officer. Right away the officer threatens Sánchez that if he moved, he would be killed or will shoot him. Sánchez in the video is shown to comply with the officer's demands and kept his hand on the wheel contradicting information in a press release issued by the Buckeye Police Department (BPD). The BPD press release says, that according to the involved officer, Sánchez was uncooperative and not complying with the officer's demands. Sánchez did open the window when asked to do so and did get out of the vehicle when asked too by a second officer.

The press release says, that Sánchez was stopped for a traffic violation. But according to the selfie video, he was following the speed limit law for at least 20 minutes before he was stopped. Sánchez had noticed an officer following him and decided to turn on his cellphone video camera to record the incident. The officer never mentioned why he stopped Sánchez during the video recording. The video camera on his cell was turned off when he exited the vehicle and after he was told by an officer to put the phone down. He was later released after no weapons were found and he wasn't wanted.

According to Sánchez,  he is undocumented and has lived in the U.S. for 10 years and has two U.S. born children ages 5 and 10. He is facing deportation proceedings. Sánchez claims that the officer was aggressive and pointed a gun at him.

According to the full video recording version, the Buckeye police officer involved must have not been truthful about the incident with Sánchez when questioned by his department's internal affairs investigators. 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) noticed the short version video posted on Erika Andiola Arreola's Facebook account where she uploaded it on YouTube. HNNUSA contacted Buckeye Police Chief Larry Hall on late Sunday via e-mail and on Monday, Chief Hall stated, "I was just made aware of this video and we are currently conducting an inquiry as to who was involved. At this time the BPD PIO Team is formulating a response to this incident."

The Buckeye Police Department has stated, that "the officer used a poor choice of words, and does not condone the statement made during the stop."

Here's the English translation based on the video recording incident on October 10.

Officer: "Do you have a license?"

Driver: "Yes sir."

Officer: "Show me your license,  if you move, I will kill you. Do you understand me?"

Driver: "Yes, I'm recording you."

Officer: "Don't move, put your hands up here. Do you have any weapons in the car? Are you sure? Is there one in the car?"

Driver: "No, if you want I can get down?"

Officer: "What do you have here?"

Driver: "I'm coming from work and those are my tools."

Officer: "Just tools, are you sure?"

Driver: "I'm sure."

Officer: "Ok, don't get down, stay there. If you move, I will shoot you. Do you understand?"

Here's part of the Buckeye Police Department's press release where it states that Sánchez was "uncooperative" and "making making furtive movements."

"...As the officer approached the gold Honda, he repeatedly asked the driver to lower the car windows and turn off the ignition. The driver, later identified as Teodulo Sanchez, did not comply with the officer's requests. The officer, who is bi-lingual gave commands in Spanish and English as the driver was not complying. Mr. Sanchez continued making furtive movements in the vehicle before the officer approached the passenger side window. With the information that the driver may be armed, and the fact that he was not obeying the officer's commands, this heightened the officer's concern for safety.  

"Mr. Sanchez eventually rolled down the passenger door window.  As the officer approached, he asked Mr. Sanchez to shut off the vehicle and place his hands on the steering wheel. While the officer was speaking with Mr. Sanchez, he continued to move his hands about and at one point, put his left hand out of the officer's view. He then moved to the center console which prompted a warning from the officer. The officer never pointed his weapon at the driver. 

"After the backup officers arrived, Mr. Sanchez was asked to exit the vehicle and complied. He was seated on the curb beside the vehicle and asked the officer for an explanation, the officer explained to Mr. Sanchez the reasons for his actions to which Mr. Sanchez advised he understood.  Officers asked Mr. Sanchez if they could search his vehicle and he advised they could, with no illegal narcotics or weapons were located. Mr. Sanchez was then released from the stop..."

On Wednesday, when HNNUSA contacted the BPD about the newly released full version of the Sánchez video posted on the Internet, Sergeant Jason Weeks, the BPD Public Information Officer stated, "At this time will not be commenting further about this. We are conducting our administrative review and will make it available to the media once it is complete. However, Mr. Sanchez still has not provided the full un edited video to the Buckeye Police Department."

Full 22:26 minutes video posted by Diana D. on Oct. 14 of Teodulo Sánchez and Buckeye police officer who threaten to kill him while complying with officer's demands: http://youtu.be/fbqMhCEdIGA