Daytona Beach Police Department clarifies happenings in viral K-9 video.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News

The Daytona Beach Police Department released a statement Thursday regarding a K-9 video circulating on social media. The video relates to police responding to a burglary in progress at a local car dealership at 451 N Nova Rd just after 2 a.m. on April 8, 2023. Authorities were alerted to the incident by a security guard for the dealership, who reported a startling scene involving a white male intruder, dressed in shorts and sneakers, armed with an unconventional weapon - a tennis racket - as he unlawfully entered a vehicle on the premises.

Following established protocols for handling in-progress felonies, the police dispatched a K-9 officer to the scene. Upon arrival, the K-9 officer immediately initiated a search for the suspect, locating him near the dealership's closed service area, tennis racket still in hand. The officer identified himself and issued clear commands to the suspect, urging him to cooperate and surrender.

Contrary to the officer's instructions, the suspect resisted compliance by displaying heightened levels of aggression. To subdue the suspect and ensure the safety of all involved parties, the police K-9, Vezer, was deployed. However, the situation escalated as the suspect began kicking and fiercely wielding the tennis racket against Vezer.

The situation took a dangerous turn when the suspect attempted to choke the police K-9 by wrapping his legs and arms around the dog's neck - a sequence of actions that could have had fatal consequences. It's worth noting that causing harm to a police K-9 is a serious felony offense.

To safeguard Vezer's well-being, the K-9 officer decided to utilize the tennis racket as an improvised tool to compel the suspect to release his grip on the K-9. This strategic choice, permitted under department policy, was deemed the safest option given the circumstances.

Despite these efforts, the suspect continued to defy orders and maintain his hold on the K-9. It eventually required the K-9 officer's physical intervention to disentangle Vezer from the suspect's grasp. As additional officers arrived at the scene, the suspect's resistance persisted, prompting law enforcement to employ varying levels of force to secure his compliance.

Eventually, the officers managed to subdue and restrain the suspect, employing techniques to minimize the risk of blood exposure. The suspect now faces multiple felony charges related to the burglary incident. The case remains ongoing and is under the jurisdiction of the State Attorney's Office.