'It's Unacceptable': Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony Fires Deputy For Punching Handcuffed Inmate

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – "We can't have this." Those are the words from Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony after firing a deputy seen on surveillance video punching a handcuffed inmate.

Deputy Kevin Fanti, 26, is seen on video punching an inmate, identified as Kyle Paul, while standing in the BSO Main Jail sally port on June 26, 2019.

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Fanti was not the arresting officer of the inmate who was in the process of being booked.

Despite the appearance that the handcuffed man appeared to be an "agitator", Sheriff Tony says, "It's unacceptable," and adds, "We don't strike individuals in handcuffs and we have to have a better temperament."

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The Sheriff is making sure his department is being transparent.

"These are my men and women that's holding this place accountable. This is my messaging, and we're changing the culture that exists here. Too many of our good deputies' reputation continue to get tarnished because, like every organization that exists here on this planet, there will be a bad seed that make it through the recruitment and application process."

Fanti was hired by the department in April 3, 2018, according to Sheriff Tony and was still on probation.

After the Sheriff was notified on Thursday of the incident, Fanti was fired immediately.

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"What's unique here is that this young man is on probation. He failed to meet the standards that I have for all these deputies. He's been terminated. He will not have any opportunity to be interviewed by any of my investigators because he didn't deserve it."

Tony says all deputies and the department are being held accountable.

"The expectations and standards that are here in this organization now are at the highest level," he says. "We will be transparent. If we know it, the community will know it and I will act on it. We can't have this."

He says they are planning to send to the case to the State Attorney's Office to determine whether charges should be filed against Fanti.

We showed the video to Paul's mother, Joanne Pierre-Louis.

"He didn't do anything to him," she said.

Pierre-Louis said her son suffers from mental health issues, including bipolar disorder. She said she hasn't seen him in a few weeks after the pair fought and the cops were called to their home. She is disturbed by the video of her son being punched.

"I am very upset about it," she said. "They mistreated him."