Salt Lake City Police Suspends K9 Program After Video Shows Dog Attacking Black Man

The Salt Lake City Police Department has ordered the suspension of its K9 program and an officer Wednesday after his body camera footage showed his dog, on his instruction, repeatedly biting a Black man kneeling with his hands up.

Officers were responding to a domestic disturbance call at Jeffrey Ryans' house April 24 when the altercation took place. A video footage released Tuesday showed how the events unfolded in 36-year-old Ryans' yard.

"Get on the ground or you're gonna get bit," the officer, Nickolas Pearce, is heard saying in the video. He then orders the canine to ambush Ryans. "Hit. Hit.," the officer encourages the dog as Ryans begs him to stop. "I'm on the ground, why are you biting me? I'm on the ground, stop," Ryans could be heard saying. "Good boy, hit! Good boy," Pearce continues to say.

The incident left Ryans, a train engineer, with severe injuries and his lawyers said he may require amputation, NBC News reported. In a notice of claim filed with the Salt Lake City Recorder’s Office on June 29, lawyers for Ryans said Pearce’s dog, Tuco, bit him several times for nearly a minute.

In a statement, the department said that their K9 apprehension program will undergo an external review. “In the meantime, SLCPD has suspended this K9 function until we review policies, procedures, training, and actual application in the field,” the statement read.

The officer involved in the encounter was placed on administrative leave while investigators determine whether excessive force was used.

“I felt like a chew toy,” Ryans told The Salt Lake Tribune. “I didn’t know why this was happening to me. That’s what was going through my mind. Why?”

Police were reportedly called to his house after he was heard arguing with his wife. Police said Ryans was violating a protective order filed by his wife, but he said the order was supposed to be lifted, according to CBS News.

Ryans faces a charge of violating the protective order, but no court dates have been set yet.