The video showing a San Diego, California police officer’s canine aggressively biting and shaking an African-American man who was in handcuffs and face-down on the ground has caused outrage on social media.
The suspect was left with a large open wound after the dog pounced on him and bit him. The officer issued no command to stop the attack.
“This K-9 officer had no control of his K-9. There is something definitely wrong with this picture,” Facebook user Angel Nuñez, who posted the video, said in the captions.
The disturbing video shows the canine latching onto the man’s arm for at least 30 seconds, while one officer appears to attempt to pull the dog off, and two other officers hold down the man’s legs.
WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO
The man can be heard repeatedly screaming and shouting “Uncomfortable!”
A bystander can be heard saying, “You have no control of your dog whatsoever? Are you kidding me?”
The same officer then escorts the canine away, while the other two rummage through the suspect's pockets.
The video has been viewed more 600,000 times since it was posted Sunday, with debate over whether the police are at fault.
Most commentators seemed appalled at the footage, but there were people on both sides of the issue.
“That is wrong!” one commentator said.
“That dog should be put down and that police department should be held responsible in civil court the same as any other pet owner!” posted another.
“Instead of helping save this man's arm the other officers are more worried with holding down his legs!” one of the later comments says.
“No he doesn't give the dog a command at all, he's just silently trying to get the dog off.... I don't think either the dog or the officer were trained. Typically they have a badge on the dog too, correct? That dog didn't. He wasn't marked as a k-9 officer either,” someone else noted.
A second video, also posted by Nuñez, appears to show the moments leading up to the incident. A shirtless man can be seen in the middle of a busy downtown street, shouting and jerking his body toward an officer holding the canine close on a leash.
When the dog pounces on him and forces him on the ground, the man can be heard saying, “OK, OK, OK!” while the officer yells, “Give me your hand!”
An official comment on the incident will be forthcoming, a police spokesman told the San Diego Union Tribune.