EVERETT — A pit bull fatally shot by police wasn’t the first to chomp down on an officer during last month’s canine-cop melee outside a burning house in north Everett.
Prosecutors allege that the pit bull’s handler, Richard Byers, bit an officer in the biceps as he was being wrestled to the
ground during a confrontation with police. The pit bull later bit a different officer in the buttocks and also took a bite out of a police dog’s thigh.
The pit bull is dead. Byers, 57, is charged with felony third-degree assault for allegedly baring his teeth.
The incident started when firefighters asked officers to tell apartment dwellers near a burning abandoned house to exit as a precaution. Byers allegedly came out of the apartment with a large pit bull. An officer recognized the dog from previous incidents and understood the animal to be aggressive toward people, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Valerie Bouffiou wrote in court papers filed Friday.
The officer directed Byers to return the dog to the apartment. Firefighters assured Byers that the dog wouldn’t be harmed since there wasn’t any smoke coming into the apartment.
About the same time another officer and his dog, Zep, arrived and began to search the area for a possible arson suspect. The police dog led the officer to an area in the alley near the apartment.
Byers entered the alley with the pit bull. The officer asked Byers about the fire. He reportedly cursed at the officer. The police dog handler told Byers to move the pit bull out of the way so they could continue their track. Again Byers cursed at officers, Bouffiou wrote. That’s when the first officer stepped in and told Byers he was no longer free to leave. He attempted to usher the man to a parking area away from the police dog and handler.
A woman drove into the alley and told police she owned the pit bull. She appeared angry at Byers for taking the dog out of the apartment. She asked the officers if she could get her dog. Once she grabbed the dog, officers attempted to take Byers into custody. That’s when he allegedly bit an officer in the arm.
The woman reportedly lost control of the pit bull. The dog charged Zep and his handler. The officer lifted the police dog into his arms and placed his body between Zep and the pit bull.
The pit bull bit the officer in the buttocks and hung from the wound as the officer attempted to swing the dog off, court papers said. The pit bull then released his grip on the officer and went after Zep, biting the police dog in the thigh.
Officers tried to use an electric stun gun to subdue the pit bull. Zep’s handler pulled his gun and shot the dog, according to court papers. The dog didn’t appear to be fazed by the bullet and charged toward other officers.
More shots were fired. The pit bull died at the scene.
Zep and his handler were treated for dog bites. The officer who allegedly was bit by Byers had an obvious abrasion to his arm.
Byers was hauled to jail. He is being held on $10,000 bail.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.
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