Police officers for Jeffery Ryans, 36, say a police officer “ordered his K9 … to attack Ryans unnecessarily and for an extended period of time” back in April. Salt Lake City police say they are investigating the incident internally.
On April 24, Ryans was ready for work at 3:30 a.m. when police revealed they were investigating an incident of domestic violence, according to Ryans’ lawyers.
Ryans’ daughter made the 911 call to police, according to a recording of the call released by police.
“My father does very bad things to our family,” says the daughter.
“He cries and cries,” she says, when raised voices are heard in the background.
“Did he stab your mother?” asked the operator.
The daughter replies, “Yes.”
When asked by the operator if her father lives at home, the daughter replies, “No, he has a restrictive order.”
One of Ryans ‘attorneys, Daniel Gardner, confirmed to CNN that there was a protective order, but said the couple “was under the impression that it was being revoked because that was Mrs. Ryans’ wishes.”
At one point in the video, after an officer mentions the protective order to Ryans, he tells that officer that his wife “said she was lifting it.”
“[Ryans and his wife] did not understand that a judge is the only one who can revoke a protective order, “Gardner explained.
Police asked Ryans to leave the house, according to body-painted camera footage of the incident provided to CNN by the man’s attorneys and Salt Lake City Police. They also spoke to his wife, who confirmed she had a protective order and told officers that Jeffery was in the house when she returned home.
When officers found him in the backyard, one of the six officers told him “you must not be here Jeffery.”
“Okay, well, she let me in,” he claims. Several officers can be heard ordering Ryans to “get on the ground.” One officer says Ryans tried to jump off the gate.
Ryans was approached by Salt Lake City police officer Nickolas Pearce, who “ordered his German guard to repeatedly bite Mr. Ryans while he was on his knees with his hands in the air,” his lawyers say.
Body video of the incident shows Ryans lying on the ground protesting and screaming in pain as a dog bites and drags to his left leg. One officer is seen marrying him, while another officer repeatedly says “good boy” to the dog.
“Why are you biting me?” Ryans writes at one point in the video.
While Ryans is on the ground with handcuffs, an officer can be heard saying “we are medically needed for a dog bite” over the radio.
Ryans, a locomotive engineer, says several times through the whole incident that he tried to get his work clothes out of the house.
Leg may be amputated, doctors say
Salt Lake City Police Department said no complaint was filed with its Department of Home Affairs immediately after the incident.
“When senior leadership, however, became aware of the situation [Tuesday], they immediately launched a Home Affairs inquiry to determine if the use of force was within policy and why the use of force was not referred to Home Affairs at the time, “the department added in its statement on the incident.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall (D) said she was “deeply concerned” that it took a news release to publish this video before it was brought to the attention of the senior police department and myself. , “in a tweet yesterday.
“I’m disturbed by what I saw in that video, frustrated by how the situation was handled, and am busy working to make sure nothing new happens,” Mendenhall added.
Pearce has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of investigations, police said in their statement.
CNN reached out to the Salt Lake City Police Department for a response, but did not immediately respond.
Ryans had to be taken to the emergency room after the incident and has undergone several surgeries since that night for his injuries, his lawyers say.
“His doctors have informed him that his leg may have to be amputated as a result of his injuries,” she added in a statement.
The allegation describes that Ryans’ lawyers were sent to the city to have nerve, tendon and muscle damage.
A formal lawsuit has not yet been filed in court.
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