CANTON ‒ Videos released by police and on social media show a city police dog attacking a man on the ground Thursday evening, as a gathering crowd screams criticism at Canton officers for allowing the dog to jump on the man.
"Why you let that …
CANTON ‒ Videos released by police and on social media show a city police dog attacking a man on the ground Thursday evening, as a gathering crowd screams criticism at Canton officers for allowing the dog to jump on the man.
"Why you let that dog on him?" a woman yells. "Are you (expletive) serious? Why you let that dog bite him?"
Canton police on Friday afternoon issued a statement that said an internal investigation has been opened into the incident that occurred at 8:45 p.m. Thursday in the 1100 block of 16th Street NW. The department said K-9 officer Nicholas Casto has been placed on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation. Casto has been with the Canton Police Department since 2014, state records show.
Mayor William V. Sherer II released a statement on the incident.
"I take these occurrences very seriously," he said. "I understand the community will have questions, and I will ensure that my office will be forthcoming with information as it becomes available.”
Responding to media requests, the Canton Police Department on Friday afternoon released Casto's body camera video and the narratives written by each officer who had responded to 16th Street.
According to the officers' reports, members of Canton's Coordinated Response Team, which is a special investigative unit, stopped a four-door sedan that had failed to use a turn signal when it pulled in front of a house
Officers, who had been in unmarked vehicles, said the two occupants of the vehicle started trying to exit the car immediately, and the driver began to argue with them and saying they could not search his vehicle. One detective said he spotted an open liquor bottle in the rear seat of the vehicle. Since the occupants were underage, officers advised them they would be searching the vehicle, where officers said they found a loaded handgun under the driver's seat.
As officers started to detain the two occupants, people began gathering in the road and sidewalks.
Officer..
