KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) released new body camera video Tuesday after one of their deputies was attacked by an “aggressive” dog, KCSO officials said.
It was Monday afternoon around 4:30 p.m. when a deputy pulled over a driver on Gull Road after noticing the vehicle they were driving was stolen.
“The deputy pulled him over to further investigate a stolen item,” Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller said.
When the driver stepped out of the car, body camera video showed a dog barking and the deputy commanding the owner to not let his dog get out of the car.
The dog, however, jumped out of the car and attempted to bite the deputy numerous times, according to the sheriff’s office.
In an attempt to protect himself, the deputy can be heard firing his gun three times, leading to the dog’s death.
“In the end, he had to take the the actions he did to protect life and limb,” Fuller said.
It was an unfortunate incident for all involved, according to Fuller, who stands behind his deputy’s decision.
“I am happy the deputy was uninjured and that he was able to go home,” Fuller said. “What we don’t like is the use of force and the loss of an animal, nobody wants that.”
Fuller told News Channel 3 his office released the video to maintain transparency with the public.
“While I will never point to a video and say that’s 100% of what you see is how it happened, because of perceptions, this is a case where I believe the video helps exonerate the deputy,” Fuller said.
The driver was ultimately arrested on unrelated warrants and taken to Kalamazoo County Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.
Charges related to possession of stolen property, the dog attack, and the driver’s suspended license are expected to be sent to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for review, according to the sheriff’s office.
In a statement, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office said the following:
The Sheriff’s Office acknowledges the concerns surrounding the unfortunate incident that occurred where a Deputy was forced to defend himself from an aggressive dog during a traffic stop. This was a no-win situation for all involved.
Faced with an immediate threat of severe injury, the Deputy made the difficult decision to discharge his firearm to protect himself.
This was not the outcome anyone wanted. The loss of any animal is unfortunate, but the safety of our deputies and the public must always remain a priority. We fully support our Deputy’s decision to protect himself in this dangerous situation and commend his initial efforts to avoid using force.
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