SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A man who reportedly stabbed a police K-9 in January was arrested Friday after police say he stabbed a second police dog.
According to San Diego Police, Dedrick Jones, 35, was approached by officers responding to a vandalism call on the 3700 block of Riley Street the morning of December 17. When officers arrived, they said Jones was “swinging a knife."
“Despite officers’ efforts to deescalate the situation, Jones refused to cooperate and climbed onto a parked car,” according to police. When Jones stepped toward officers with the knife, authorities used “less-lethal tools in an effort to avoid using deadly force.”
“This included deploying Canine Hondo. Jones stabbed Canine Hondo at least twice before officers were able to take Jones, who was still armed with the knife, into custody,” police said.
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According to the department, this is the second time Jones has stabbed a police K-9. In January, Jones was armed with two knives and stabbed K-9 Titan following an hours-long standoff, according to police. Jones later pleaded guilty to felony animal cruelty, and assault on a police officer and was sentenced to one year in jail, but was released in June due to “jail credits for time served.
“Our system must do a better job holding violent offenders accountable,” said Chief of Police David Nisleit. “It is ironic and tragic that the man who had the gall to stab a police dog in January committed the same crime just months later. This suspect must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law so that he will not have the opportunity to cause further harm.”
Hondo received treatment at a San Diego veterinary hospital and is expected to survive.
Jones was arrested for animal cruelty, harming a police dog, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, resisting an officer with threats or violence, and vandalism.
