A police K-9 bit a teen theft suspect during a police search in Los Angeles, leaving flesh hanging off a gaping injury on his arm, a newly released police video showed.
Andrew Valdez, 18, could be seen scaling the parapet of an overpass following a nearly six-mile high-speed police chase Oct. 27 ending in the crash of the SUV he and four other suspects allegedly had stolen, the video showed. The police arrested the other suspects without incident.
The police initiated a search of the area, requesting residents to stay indoors and shouting warnings to Valdez in English and Spanish to give up hiding or a K-9 would be deployed to find and potentially attack and injure him, the video showed.
The search began as Valdez did not appear from hiding. Soon a cry alerted the officers as the K-9, Platz, attacked Valdez in his hideout in a nearby shrubbery, the video showed.
“All right, start crawling towards us, we’re gonna take care of you,” an officer said to Valdez, who repeatedly groaned as his left arm bore a bleeding large wound with the flesh hanging off it, per the video.
“I was just sleeping,” Valdez said in between his groans as he surrendered, sinking to his knees. “What am I being arrested for?” he repeatedly asked. “What the f— is going on?”
Officers tended to his gaping wound.
“It’s just—it’s just flap of skin, that’s all that is,” an officer said.
“We’ll put a bandage on,” another officer said.
“I’m okay?” Valdez asked.
“Yeah, it’s gonna be fine,” answered an officer.
“We’re gonna stitch it back right now,” another officer added.
“What the f— did I do to deserve this,” Valdez asked.
“The ambulance is on its way. I know, I know, it’s horrible, I know” the officer rendering aid to Valdez responded as Valdez groaned in pain. (RELATED: K9 Officer Smokes Suspect Out Of His Hiding Place)
Valdez was arrested for felony evading and booked in absentia at Valley Jail Division while in hospital, LAPD Captain Kelly Muñiz said in the video.
The incident remained under investigation, Muñiz added.