BUFFALO, N.Y. —
In a video that's garnered nationwide attention, Buffalo Police Lieutenant Michael Delong captured on camera using a derogatory term against a woman while she films him on her cell phone.
The woman behind the camera is Ruweyda Salim, who says she was in shock when the encounter initially happened.
"I didn't expect the situation to escalate as far as it did," Salim told 2 On Your Side's Karys Belger.
Salim told 2 On Your Side she was with a friend at the 7-Eleven on Prospect Avenue on Sunday when they saw a man standing outside as they were going in. On their way out, she saw multiple officers approach him.
She says one of the officers, a woman, had a baton. That's when she decided to start recording.
"I didn't want to leave him there," she said.
The man in front of the store came agitated, according to Salim, and she began to tell him that he did not have to speak to the police. Another officer approached her and yelled at her to leave.
Salim says that's when Delong approached her, and the remainder of what happened in the now-viral video took place.
"I didn't think he would react that way with me recording, so I can only imagine what he would have done if I wasn't recording."
Salim told 2 On Your Side that after the incident, an officer took note of her friend's license plate before they got in the car drove off.
Shortly after, they were pulled over for a traffic violation when they drove in the wrong direction on a one-way street. She says she was stopped by Delong and a female officer.
According to Salim, the female officer asked her why she was against the cops. She also explained that aside from the Delong's words, she believes his actions toward her were racially motivated.
The President of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, John Evans sees it differently.
"I get it. We're police officers. We're supposed to be professional and everything else but caught at a week moment. She definitely caught him at a week moment," Evans said.
Evans went on to say that while Delong's reaction was inappropriate but could have been avoided if Salim had left. He added that Lieutenant Delong is already suffering since he has been suspended without pay while an investigation takes place.
"I don't think we'll see Lieutenant Delong involved in anything like that again. He's learned obviously from it and that'll be that," Evans said.
Salim says that's not a good enough solution in her opinion.
"I want him fired. I want his pension gone. If Cariol Horne could lose her pension for doing right, then he should lose his for doing wrong," she said.
Evans also said he would like to know if Delong underwent additional training in order to help deescalate stressful situations in the field.