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Publisher’s Note: The Black Wall Street Times strongly condemns the use of K-9s on human beings, especially Black people. The inhumane practice is rooted in slavery as slave patrol officers used dogs to hunt enslaved-runaways.
A now viral video shows a Black man being attacked by a police dog. The disturbing footage has sparked an investigation by the FBI.
Cellphone video shows three White police officers allowing their german shepherd to viciously and repeatedly attack and bite the man.
Disturbing video shows police dog attack man
From the top of the video, the officers threaten to use their dog on the man if he resisted the officers’ advances. The officer holding the police dog then releases the german shepherd; the K-9 bites and attacks the man’s feet and ankles. The officer then restrains the dog and then releases it again.
The man, clearly distressed, can be heard yelling for help. Several vehicles can be seen slowing down, and one car even hunks seemingly in disapproval of the police’s actions. The woman filming the vicious attack shouts at the cops in disapproval.
According to the Woodson Terrace, Missouri, police department, “The suspect continued to resist, causing minor injuries to one of the officers so the K-9 was released and the K-9 gained control of the suspect’s foot.”
Police canine expert Michael Gould said he found the video to be “problematic.” in an interview with KSDK News. Gould is an expert witness specializing in forensic dog handling, police canine tactics, dog bites, police dog deployment, use of force, canine crime scene, use of narcotics dogs, and scent recognition.
“The fact of the matter is, it’s a human reflex response, you can’t have an 80-pound dog puncturing your skin and be compliant,” said Gould, who has more than 30 years experience. “It’s virtually impossible.”
Man faces no charges after dog attack
The dog attack continued for about 30 seconds while the man repeatedly tried to escape the dog’s bites. He was eventually treated at a local hospital before being released.
No information was released on the “minor injuries” caused to an officer which resulted in the unnecessary dog attack.
Reports that the man had allegedly broken into a business, did not result in any charges for the victim.
The police chief from Woodson Terrace, Randy Halstead, confirmed that his department is “fully cooperating” with the investigation. The FBI, along with the St Louis District Attorney’s office, are investigating the matter.
The FBI is regularly called to investigate “color of law” cases, in which a victim’s constitutional and civil rights have been violated. The St. Louis District Attorney’s Office said in a statement that the office is thoroughly investigating the matter.
Protesters took to the Woodson Terrace police station on Friday, demanding that the officers involved in the dog attack should be fired and prosecuted for their actions. Said one activist, “We were outraged by the vile and despicable behavior of the Woodson Terrace police officers.”
Another protestor, St Louis Rev. Darryl Gray, said the police department’s actions were “reprehensible and inexcusable.” The FBI has not yet commented on the ongoing investigation.
This latests case of alleged police brutality comes after the death of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Following a breakdown in bipartisan negotiations, the transformative police bill crafted after the 2020 viral police lynching of George Floyd in Minneapolis has reportedly died.
Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina refused to agree to get rid of qualified immunity, a legal protection that shields individual officers from facing lawsuits for their violent misconduct.
You can see with your own eyes the police report is a total fabrication. The driver was spread over the hood of the car, not resisting. this is again the police tactic of “Pain Compliance” Everyday, everywhere this is going on and Republicans say it’s just a few “Bad Apples”. Its the entire police culture The few are the good cops. Most keep quiet to maintain the Blue Wall and allow the goons to operate. And there are goons in every dept. in every city. This is not rare. This is the rule not the exception. The report always reads, “The driver rammed his head repeatedly into my nightstick” or here, “the driver inserted his leg into my defenseless animal’s mouth.” And time after time the courts and officials believe the utter fiction of police reports.