Police K-9 Bites Armed Robbery Suspect During Chase

ACWORTH, GA -- An 18-year-old Canton resident is in jail after he was bitten by K-9 officer with the Cherokee Sheriff's Office while fleeing deputies investigating an armed robbery over the weekend.

Deputies with the agency were dispatched to a shots fired call just before midnight April 22 on Linton Drive, which is off Old Bascomb Road near Bells Ferry Road.

The victims told police a male, later identified as Jayland Hicks, allegedly robbed them at gunpoint inside their home and "fired two shots as he was leaving the residence," sheriff's office spokesman Lt. Jay Baker said.

The male was seen by deputies a short distance away near The How Place, a drug addiction treatment organization, and the subject fled on foot from the area.

A perimeter was established and a K-9 officer was dispatched to the scene. K-9 Amp led deputies to a man in the woods who matched Hicks' description. The male "failed to comply with the deputy’s commands to stop," so Amp was released and given the apprehend command.

"K-9 Amp bit the suspect in the right thigh above the knee and held on until deputies could secure the suspect," Baker continued. A backpack found next to Hicks allegedly contained a felony amount of marijuana and Xanax.

No firearm was located at the site of the arrest. However, after he was transported to Northside Hospital Cherokee for treatment, Hicks told deputies he threw the firearm near The How Place. After two hours of searching, Baker said deputies found the .38 caliber handgun at the location. No one was injured during the initial robbery, but investigators did remove a bullet from the vinyl siding at the Linton Drive home.

The robbery, Baker added, appears to be drug-related.

Hicks has been charged with armed robbery, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, possession of marijuana with attempt to distribute, possession of alprazolam, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, reckless conduct and entering auto.

He remains held at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center without bond.

Image via Cherokee Sheriff's Office