AZ Man Accuses Police Of Allowing Dog To Maim Him

PEORIA, AZ — Peoria police are being accused of excessive force in part for allowing a police dog to maim Carlos Castro, who had been convicted of endangerment and drive-by shooting charges in March 2017. Castro told 12 News' investigative team that what law enforcement did to him was "messed up."

Castro has filed a complaint against the state of Arizona, DPS, Peoria and Glendale, accusing them of negligence, intentional infliction of pain, battery and excessive force, 12 News reported.

During the course of the March 11 arrest, Castro fell from a roof, was Tasered, pinned down and had a chunk taken from his leg by a police dog, according to reports.

Castro had multiple run-ins with the law in the days leading up to his arrest. He was with his girlfriend visiting a friend's house in Peoria when he got into an argument with his girlfriend's brother, police said. Witnesses said Castro fired multiple shots in the direction of several people, 12 News reported.

A couple days later, allegedly, Castro assaulted a Glendale store security officer while he and his girlfriend were trying to steal from the store.

That's when police put together a task force of Peoria, Glendale and DPS officers, who went into Castro's house on March 11 in an attempt to arrest him. “In a matter of seconds they came in with their guns raised and flash grenades being thrown,” his girlfriend said, according to 12 News. But Castro got away.

The cops then spotted Castro on the roof of a one-story house. Cops swarmed in, surrounding him. It was dark out.

“Several of them [police] are shouting commands at the same time, it can be confusing for the suspect,” Isabella Maldonado, 12 News' law enforcement expert said.

In the body camera video 12 News obtained from DPS, Castro is seen sitting on the roof, yelling "I'm done," at times, raising his hands. Then, as his hand lowers towards his waist, a cop shoots a Taser into him.

Castro kept yelling at officers, the Taser ineffective, 12 News said. "I'm done, I don't want to fall," he yelled at police. Maldonado said, "This would have been an opportunity to back off and establish a perimeter and negotiate with him.” But, the same cop reactivated his Taser.

The body camera's view is blocked, but at this point, Castro jumped or fell from the roof.

At least two cops rushed Castro, jumping on him. The video doesn't show whether Castro was attempting to resist at all or get a weapon. A police dog then bit onto Castro's leg, "shaking it violently," 12 News reported.

Castro told 12 News it was "horrible." He doesn't have any feeling in his leg, and walks with a limp, he told 12 News.

See the 12 News story for photos of Castro's bitten leg. The photos are graphic.

Maldonado saw the video, saying she thought the cops had "sufficient containment" on Castro, meaning the police dog was not necessary. Though, without a clear video, it's possible to mistake needed actions as excessive.

Glendale police investigated their officer's use of his Taser, finding it out of compliance. The cop was counseled and received remedial training for using his Taser when the "risk of secondary injury is greater than the need to make an immediate arrest."

DPS investigated their cop's use of the police dog, finding that the handler didn't violate any policy, 12 News reported.

After the arrest, Castro accepted a plea bargain including aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.

Below is body cam footage showing Castro's arrest. This video may contain disturbing footage:

Article image via Shutterstock