U.S. Marshal kicks small dog during arrest operation in Memphis
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (CBS, KYMA) - A woman in Memphis recorded a U.S. Marshal kicking her small dog during an arrest operation on February 4.
Video filmed by Emma Hollingsworth shows the U.S. Marshal forcefully kicking the dog, which was loose on the grounds of an apartment complex.
"This isn't protection — this is abuse. U.S. Marshals came to our home, used unnecessary force, and kicked my dog, leaving him with a broken rib. This happened right here in our community. I'm sharing this because silence protects the wrong people," Hollingsworth said in a post on Facebook.
In a statement obtained by news outlet WREG, the US Marshall Service said the incident was "unfortunate" but "not done with malice."
“During [Jaquize Henderson's] arrest, a dog from one of the apartments got loose and tried repeatedly and aggressively to attack the working K9. The dog's owner was instructed to restrain the dog but did not do so. A deputy U.S. marshal blocked the animal to keep it away from the K9. A woman at the apartment complex recorded the incident on her cell phone and posted the video to social media. While the appearance of the incident is unfortunate, the deputy marshal's action was not done with malice. It was a last-resort, split-second action taken by a law enforcement officer to control the environment and mitigate a dangerous situation. An uncontrolled, aggressive animal can hinder official duties and threaten safety," the statement read, according to WREG.
