The FBI is investigating an incident where three white law enforcement officers in Missouri let a police dog repeatedly bite a Black man, who was being arrested.
Footage showing the individual being arrested on September 20 has been making the rounds on social media, ABC News reports.
Law enforcement is seen standing over the man, while another officer stands nearby with a dog. He lets the animal go close to the man, and it bites him, as the man holds his ankles and asks for "help", per New York Post.
Police appear to not assist the man. They then push the individual to the ground as the dog is allowed to pull his leg for around 30 seconds. Law enforcement controls the dog, before letting him near the man again, and eventually removing the animal altogether.
WARNING — sensitive content below:In an email to the St Louis Post-Dispatch, Woodson Terrace Police Chief, Randy Halstead, said that his department was "fully cooperating" with FBI investigations, per NBC News.
In a statement, the City of Woodson Terrace Police Department confirmed that the canine had bitten the man several times. They said that the individual was reportedly under the influence of a narcotic, and that he had resisted arrest and threatened law enforcement.
The video in question, however, does not show him resisting arrest.
Police also disclosed that he had been accused of trespassing by a local business, and that he had reportedly threatened to kill police as they came towards him.
The statement reads:
"On Monday, 09/20/2021 at approximately 7:18 am our officers responded to a local business for a subject trespassing and refusing to leave. The caller was fearful the subject was going to remain in the building. Upon the officer's arrival, the subject left the business and was located by the officers walking towards another business. Our officers made contact with the subject and the subject immediately started threatening to kill the officers and identified as a sovereign citizen. The subject continued yelling obscenities and telling the officers he would not comply and he “will not obey your contract”. The subject continued to walk away from the officers and several commands to stop were given by the officers but the subject failed to comply and continued to walk away into rush hour traffic on Woodson Road.
"The officers had to block traffic to keep the subject from getting struck by vehicles. The officers observed that the subject was under the influence of a narcotic and advised him he was under arrest. The officers advised the subject to place his hands behind his back but he refused and when the officers attempted to place the subjects hands behind his back the subject resisted and refused to comply. The officers attempted to get the subject to cooperate with them but the subject continued resisting. The subject was then warned several times that if he did not comply the K9 would be released."
"The subject continued to resist causing minor injuries to one of the officers so the K9 was released and the K9 gained control of the suspect’s foot. The suspect went to the ground and the K9 was pulled off the subject. After the K9 was pulled off of the suspect the officers attempted to place the subject into handcuffs but due to the subject being under the influence of drugs he continued to resist and the officers were unable to restrain the subject.
"The subject got up and attempted to flee from the officers and the K9 was released again biting the suspect on his leg. The officers were able to handcuff the subject and the K9 was pulled off. An ambulance responded but the subject refused medical attention and he was transported to the Woodson Terrace Police Department. The subject began complaining about his injuries so the ambulance responded and transported the subject to the hospital. After the subject was arrested the officers found suspected Methamphetamine on the subject which would explain why the officers were unable to restrain the subject. The subject was released pending application of warrants."
The individual has not been charged with any crime at this time.
According to Associated Press, on Friday, September 24, around 20 racial injustice activists gathered outside the Woodson Terrace Police Department to call for the dismissal and prosecution of the three police officers involved.
"We were outraged by the vile and despicable behavior of the Woodson Terrace police officers," said Zaki Baruti, who compared the treatment of the man to that of civil rights protestors in the 1960s.
