An unarmed Black man was attacked by a police officer’s K-9 as he surrendered to authorities with his hands up, despite an Ohio State Trooper repeatedly urging officers not to release the dog.
The July 4 incident followed a lengthy pursuit as officers tried to pull over a commercial semi-truck that failed to stop for an inspection, a video released by the Ohio State Highway Patrol shows.
According to a redacted Ohio State Highway Patrol case report obtained by CNN, a Motor Carrier Enforcement inspector tried to stop a semi-tractor trailer traveling west on US 35 in Jackson County because “the vehicle was missing a left rear mud flap.” The inspector turned on his marked patrol vehicle lights and the “suspect vehicle continued west on US 35 and made eye contact” with the inspector, according to the report.
When the vehicle’s 23-year-old driver, Jadarrius Rose, failed to stop, the inspector notified dispatch to send a marked patrol unit to assist, according to the case report.
The video initially shows authorities pursuing a semi-truck that appeared to “slow down to a roll” to stop. As the semi-truck stops, the video shows an officer getting out of a vehicle, pointing a weapon toward the semi-truck and ordering the driver to “get out of the truck.”
The driver does not come out of the truck and begins driving back on the road. Authorities continue to chase him, and multiple law enforcement vehicles are shown joining the chase, the footage shows.
The driver eventually stops the semi-truck and comes out of the vehicle surrounded by several police cars and officers, according to the video.
The video then cuts to what appears to be a state trooper coming out of his vehicle and walking toward the driver. “Come to me,” an officer is heard saying to the driver. Another officer adds, “get on the ground or you’re going to get bit.” The driver is shown on the road with his hands up.
“Do not release the dog with his hands up,” a state trooper warns several times from a distance. It is not clear if the state trooper could be heard by other officers.
“Circleville Police Department arrived on scene and stopped in the southbound lanes of US-23 adjacent to the suspect,” the redacted case report reads. “Circleville K9 Officer R. Speakman exited his patrol car and began giving commands to the suspect. Circleville K9 Officer R. Speakman deployed his K9 on the suspect.”
Footage shows the dog was released after repeated warnings from the state trooper. The dog runs toward officers and then turns to Rose and attacks him, pulling him to the ground, the video shows.
“Get the dog off of him,” the same state trooper yells several times. Rose is seen and heard screaming and crying out, “get the dog off of me…please…please…get it off.” He continues to cry out as officers call out for a first aid kit. Rose was later shown being treated by the officers.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Ryan Purpura told CNN in an email, “As troopers were attempting to gain compliance by providing verbal commands to the suspect, the Circleville Police Department deployed their canine, which resulted in the suspect being bitten by the canine.”
“The suspect was then taken into custody and troopers immediately provided first aid and contacted EMS to respond. This case remains under investigation and the Patrol is unable to provide any further details at this time,” Purpura continued.
Rose’s attorney declined to comment. In a statement, NAACP Columbus Branch President Nana Watson called the actions of officers “barbaric.”
“This type of barbaric behavior brought back horrible memories and images of the unleashing of dogs on civil (rights) activists that occurred in the South during the 1960’s,” Watson said.
“This conduct gives you reason to pause as it is reflective of unjust and discriminatory treatment that occurred to Blacks in Mississippi, Georgia, and Alabama that we wish not to revisit and/or be reminded,” the statement added. “The Circleville Police department deserves admonishment for this type of behavior. Quite frankly, the Columbus NAACP is ashamed of the officer’s behavior.”
“It is our hope that a thorough investigation is conducted and that Justice is served up to and including disciplinary action/termination of the involved officer.”
According to the case report, Rose was treated and released at a local hospital before he was taken to the Ross County Jail. According to the case report, Rose told troopers at the hospital “he did nothing wrong and did not understand why he was being stopped.”
The report also says Rose told troopers “he was delivering in Grove City, Ohio and just wanted to make his delivery and get home.” According to reporting from The Washington Post, Rose was released from the Ross County Jail on July 7.
CNN has reached out to the Circleville Police Department for comment.
