Saint Paul Woman Attacked By K-9 While Taking Out The Trash

SAINT PAUL, MN — A Saint Paul woman bitten by a K-9 earlier this year is suing the police department after being attacked by the dog outside her home as police searched for a crime suspect.

Desiree Collins, 52, continues to recover from the dog attack that was captured on police bodycam video. Collins was taking out her trash on Sept. 23 when a K-9 clamped onto her arm.

Collins is suing Saint Paul police officer Thaddeus Schmidt for alleged civil rights violations that occurred when his K-9 partner Gabe attacked her. Collins says she suffered excessive force and unreasonable seizure.

According to the lawsuit, Gabe was on a 20-foot leash ahead of Schmidt during a search for two male robbery suspects. Gabe attacked Collins while they were out of Schmidt’s view, the suit claims.

“She was standing on one side of the dumpster and the dog came around the backside,” Collins’ attorney, Andy Noel, told WCCO. “You see the whole thing unfold. You see the terror on her face. You see clearly it taking the officers too long to get that dog off of her,” Noel added.

“Oh, there’s a lady,” one of the police officers is heard in the video. “You’re fine, you’re fine.”

“Please!” Collins pleads. “Help me!”

“What did I do to him?” she asked after Gabe released. “Nothing,” an officer replied. “Just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Noel believes Schmidt had no real control of the dog in the time leading up to the attack.

“My heart breaks when I watch this video,” Saint Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell said in a statement. “What happened to Ms. Collins was a terrible accident that should not have occurred. I am sorry it happened and that she was injured. As a department, we wish we could go back and do things differently. Unfortunately, we can’t.”

Schmidt was suspended from work for a day following the attack, and he and Gabe went through a retraining program. They are both still on duty, according to KMSP.

Collins suffered injuries to her left leg and right arm, KARE 11 reported. She had already lost her left hand as a child when she was severely burned.

The lawsuit also says she suffered serious psychological injuries.

Collins is asking punitive damages and more training requirements for Saint Paul’s K-9 program.

Image via Shutterstock