Florida K-9 Takes Down Suspect in Body Camera Video

Pasco County officials released bodycam footage showing K9 Shep taking down a suspect. Pasco County Sheriff's Office

Officials in Pasco County, Florida, released police body camera footage showing a K-9 taking down a suspect.

Deputy Nick Carmack attempted a traffic stop on Sept. 4 on a stolen vehicle, Fox13 reported. However, the suspect drove away from him and went into a driveway before the driver and a passenger fled on foot.

The body camera footage shows the scene that unfolded.

In the clip, Carmack is seen parking his vehicle before releasing Shep, the K-9 officer, who then takes off and catches the suspect.

The K-9 can be seen grabbing the suspect, clad in a pink shirt. Fox13 reported police said the suspect was medically cleared and arrested.

The second person was located by Deputy Rob Wilkins and another K-9, Knox, the report said. The suspects face charges of criminal mischief, child neglect, and grand theft auto.

There was an infant inside the vehicle during the police pursuit, said the sheriff’s office, and the child also was left inside the car when the two suspects fled.  It is not clear if either suspect is a parent or guardian of the child.

WFLA later reported that the suspect in the pink shirt was identified as James Wallace Miller III. Police stopped him when they noticed he was driving a stolen Nissan Rogue.

The sheriff’s office said that Shep held on to the suspect until Carmack could place handcuffs on him, explaining that it was for Carmack’s safety, according to WFLA.

Other details about the incident are not clear.

According to the National Police Dog Association, “Departments demand that a dog must first pass a basic obedience training course. The dogs must be able to respond and obey the commands of their handler without hesitation. This allows the officer to have complete control over how much force the dog should use against a suspect.”

It adds the two most common breeds of K-9s are German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois.