Anger as Ohio officers release police dog on unarmed Black man with his hands up

A 23-year-old driver, Jadarrius Rose, sustained multiple injuries after police in Ohio released a canine on him after a traffic stop. The police dog mauled him despite calls by sergeants to the dog’s handling officer not to unleash the canine after the driver raised his hands. According to the highway patrol, the driver was treated by emergency medical personnel who were called to assist.

The incident took place on July 4 after the driver failed to stop for an inspection when law enforcement officers flagged him to do so. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said it had to take the officers minutes of hot pursuit to bring the semi-tractor trailer to a halt. The vehicle stopped on a state highway about 40 miles south of Columbus after the officers launched tire deflation devices for a second time.

In a video that has gone viral, the driver is spotted raising his hands in front of the vehicle with law enforcement officers beckoning him to get on the ground. After he ceded to their order, an officer with the Circleville Police Department released his dog to attack Rose. A state trooper had warned local officers against releasing the dog as a voice is heard in the video asking them to stop, according to Reuters.

“Do not release the dog – with his hands up,” the trooper can be heard saying. The dog is spotted in the video dashing towards the driver who was on his knees; the canine begins biting and pulling the driver. Rose is heard screaming in pain and pleading with the officers to restrain the dog. A statement by the highway patrol said the driver was bitten by the canine.

Circleville police have declined to comment on the issue but its Public Safety Director Douglas Debord told the media that they are probing the incident involving the police K9 unit. Rose was taken into custody while the police continued with their investigation into the matter.