The Akron Organizing Collaborative is demanding answers claiming the Ohio State Highway Patrol used unnecessary force when a trooper released a K9 on an Akron man earlier this week.
WARNING: The video above contains expletives
Dannie Oliver, the man who was bitten by a police dog, recorded video of the incident on Facebook Live Monday evening.
The incident started when troopers tried to pull over a car without a license plate. Dash camera video captured a short pursuit.
The driver, Samuel Tolbert, didn't stop at first and continued to the area of Copley Road and Bacon Avenue where the confrontation turned tense.
"I'm sending the dog if you get out of the car!" a trooper is heard yelling. "I'm sending the dog! Get down on the ground!"
Around that time, Oliver started recording the arrest on his cell phone.
The video was later shared on the Twitter account of Shaun King from the New York Daily News. Watch the video below. (WARNING: The video above contains expletives)
Peaceful Black man filming an arrest. He's compliant & communicative. Without warning, police release their dog on him. AKRON, OHIO. pic.twitter.com/R3HAEiVrau
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) January 24, 2017
When Oliver moved towards the car to look for Tolbert's ID, the trooper yelled and pointed what appeared to be a Taser.
Moments later, a K9 was released and Oliver began yelling that he was being attacked.
"Get your dog, man! Dude, get your dog, man! Dude this (expletive) dog is attacking me! Ow! Ow! My leg! My (expletive) leg! Get the dog!
Oliver was arrested on obstruction of official business and resisting arrest charges. A charge of receiving stolen property was added later after it was determined he was in possession of a stolen gun.
Tolbert was charged willful fleeing, drug abuse and obstruction of official business.
Ray Greene Jr. of the Akron Organizing Collaborative believes the use of the K9 amounted to excessive force.
"That's using your power excessively and that's using the K9 where the K9 shouldn't have been used," he said.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol issued this statement:
Following a pursuit, a subsequent incident occurred which resulted in a law enforcement canine bite. As with any use of force or injury, we are confident the resulting investigation will yield the facts and necessary actions. The Ohio State Highway Patrol has strong policies which are compliant to law, CALEA standards, and best practices. Troopers requested medical services for the man and he was transported to a hospital for treatment.
The highway patrol has jurisdiction over the entire state, and Akron police said it's not unusual for them to patrol neighborhoods.
But after the controversial video, Greene is demanding answers from the patrol and the governor, while also calling for the trooper who released the dog to be fired.
"Highway patrol needs to stay on the expressway and stay out of our communities," Greene said.
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan issued a statement on Twitter Wednesday.
Below includes a full statement from Mayor Horrigan regarding the @OSHP canine incident in Akron: pic.twitter.com/NCjaMmoHA8
— City of Akron, Ohio (@AkronOhioMayor) January 25, 2017
