MEDINA, Ohio — The Medina County Sheriff's Office released disturbing drone video that appears to show a burglary suspect trying to drown a police dog in a creek.
"He was basically trying to harm the K9 or even kill the K9," said Captain Kevin Ross.
The suspect, Shane McCloud, 29, of Akron, was booked into the Medina County Jail following a dramatic chase that lasted about an hour.
He's facing multiple charges, including resisting arrest, burglary, and assault for the attack on the 7-year-old German Shepherd named Blek.
"We definitely think he is part of the department, which he is, and he's just like any other officer," Ross said.
The drone shows the suspect, who was being pursued by deputies, go into Chippewa Creek in Guilford Township Friday morning.
Blek's handler, Deputy Ryan Gibbons, sent the dog into the creek in an attempt to keep the suspect at bay, but McCloud managed to grab the K9 and hold him underwater for several seconds, deputies said.
"When the dog is swimming, you don't have the power," Ross said. "You don't have the engagement that you would normally have on land."
In the video the dog appears to be disoriented as he walked towards the bank, moments after he was let go by the suspect. Several officers, including Gibbons, went into the creek to attend to Blek.
McCloud was apprehended moments later near the creek.
"I wanted to make sure he was in custody and no longer able to hurt any of us. If he's willing to do that to an animal, what's he willing to do to people," Gibbons told News 5.
McCloud was taken to Cleveland Clinic Medina General to be checked out before he was transported to jail.
Another EMS team examined Blek who was then taken to a veterinarian.
Doctors told Gibbons to watch the dog for unusual behavior in case he had water in his lungs. Other than a limp and some soreness, the K9 seemed to be doing okay and was back to work on Monday.
"It takes a lot of bravery and a lot of heart that this K9 has," Ross said. "He is an officer here even though he's a K9."
The incident started around 8:15 a.m. Friday after a woman called to report a burglary at her trailer home on Greenwich Road.
"I got him in my house. I haven't been home. He was in my house," the woman told a 911 operator.
The Medina County Sheriff's Office responded and activated a $30,000 drone which was donated by a private citizen.
The drone has two cameras, including one that uses infrared technology. Drone operator Detective Larry Covey tracked McCloud as he went into a wooded area.
Ross said deputies on foot caught up to him, but McCloud didn't cooperate.
"He wasn't taking his hands out of his pockets, wasn't showing his hands. We weren't sure if he had a gun," Ross said.
Investigators said McCloud got up and ran, crossed Greenwich Road, went in and out of the creek, before going back into the creek after the dog was released.
While deputies were outraged by what they saw on the video, they are also grateful that Blek has no serious injuries and the suspect was captured.
The Seville Police Department, Westfield Police Department, Medina County Drug Task Force, and Seville-Guilford Fire Department assisted in the case.
