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LCSO K9 Dog Mistakenly Attacks Bystander

Police sirens
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A bystander was mistakenly bit by a K9 dog during an incident caused by a fleeing suspect. The Leon County Sheriff’s Department is looking into the situation.

During a recent traffic stop, a K9 handler released his dog to catch a running suspect. When the dog became distracted, it switched its attention to a bystander who was in the area. The dog’s accidental attack is being investigated. Department Spokeswoman Shonda Knight says the dog involved is not being used for arrests until a review has been completed.

“There is a process right now pending review of his performance, so yes the K9 involved in the incident will go through an evaluation process to determine his status as far as apprehensions are concerned," says Knight.

Knight says this type of incident is not common. 

Jade Jacobs is a fourth year broadcast journalism student at Florida A&M University. Before interning at WFSU, Jade worked at Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church as a media intern in Dallas, Texas. She has also served as a live shot reporter on FAMU TV News 20, a writer for the FAMUAN and Journey Magazine and a radio personality on WANM 90.5 The Flava Station's Saturday Morning Show. After graduation, she plans to continue to work in the journalism field as a news reporter. She enjoys shopping, inspirational quotes and traveling.