A police dog sustained burns after a suspect reportedly attempted to set fire to both the dog and an adult bookstore during a chaotic standoff in San Diego, which concluded with gunfire from the police, officials stated.
On Wednesday morning, San Diego police were called to the 2900 block of 30th Street in North Park due to reports of someone trying to break into cars.
Upon arrival, officers confronted a suspect acting aggressively, leading to a pursuit that ended when he entered a nearby adult bookstore.
Realizing the suspect had flammable materials and was wielding a device that produced a significant flame, police sent in K-9 Ryder along with several officers, as reported by ABC10.
The police department noted, “He used that flame on a police canine named Ryder.” They also mentioned that three officers sustained burns from unknown sources.
Footage from the scene captured officers clustering outside the bookstore with Ryder before they proceeded inside. Shortly thereafter, numerous gunshots echoed from within the building.
Initially, bean bag rounds were fired into the establishment as officers worked to control the situation. Witness accounts indicate multiple loud explosions during the standoff, according to reports from Fox 5.
Later footage showed Ryder being carried out of the bookstore and placed into a police vehicle.
Three officers were subsequently taken for emergency medical care due to their injuries.
According to investigators, the suspect allegedly ignited himself while advancing toward the officers, apparently attempting to set the building ablaze.
Witnesses recounted a disturbing scene as the suspect emerged from the bookstore engulfed in flames. One observer described the horror, noting, “The body was on fire. His whole stomach was on fire. It was awful,” as reported by Fox.
Video evidence also displayed an officer administering aid to the suspect as he lay on the ground.
After the confrontation, police reported that the suspect was transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, Ryder was treated for facial burns but was released from the veterinary hospital afterward, with expectations of a full recovery, as stated by ABC10. The officers involved also received treatment for their injuries.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into the shooting incident.
