New bodycam footage shows the Ohio police officer who released his K-9 on an unarmed Black man following a traffic stop appearing to defend his actions.
Circleville Police Department Officer Ryan Speakman, who has since been fired, can be heard asking his colleague, “am I wrong?” after allowing the dog to attack Jadarrius Rose, 23, a truck driver who had failed to comply with a traffic stop over his mud flaps on 4 July.
"I don't know why they seem pissed off at me," Mr Speakman can be heard saying to another officer in the bodycam footage. "He did not comply. I gave him three commands. I told him ‘final warning.’ If you don't comply, you're going to get the dog."
Mr Speakerman then asked his fellow officer “am I wrong,” to which he responded “no.”
The officer was fired from the department following an investigation that was launched into why he allowed his dog to attack Mr Rose, who was surrendering with his hands raised, despite State Highway Patrol troopers urging the officer to hold the dog back.
The lengthy pursuit on 4 July and the ensuing attack were captured on Mr Speakerman’s bodycam. Authorities said the chase began on US Route 35, when officers tried to stop a commercial semi truck that was missing a mud flap and had failed to stop for an inspection.
Mr Rose, of Memphis, Tennessee, initially refused to get out of the truck and later defied directives to get on the ground, according to an Ohio State Highway Patrol incident report.
The initial bodycam footage released at the time showed Mr Rose with his hands in the air, kneeling in front of the troopers.
One of the troopers is heard giving repeated warnings: “Do not release the dog with his hands up”. It is not clear whether Mr Speakman heard the trooper.
Mr Speakerman is then heard shouting “Get on the ground or you’re gonna get bit” after which he releases the dog on the man.
Mr Rose is heard screaming for help and asking the police officers to get the K-9 off him.
The dog is seen biting and pulling the arm of the man, who is on his knees and screaming in agony.
“Get it off!” he is heard saying as one trooper asks for the dog to be removed from the suspect.
Another officer is heard calling for a first aid kit. The footage also showed one of the police officers covering her mouth with her hands and walking away from the spot.
Officials said Mr Rose was treated and released from a local hospital and then taken to Ross County Jail where he was charged with failure to comply and later released on bond.
Mr Speakerman has since been fired, the police department said in a statement.
“Circleville Police Officer Ryan Speakman’s actions during the review of his canine apprehension of suspect Jadarrius Rose on July 4 show that Officer Speakman did not meet the standards and expectations we hold for our police officers,” the department said, according to CNN. “Officer Speakman has been terminated from the department, effective immediately.”
Mr Rose later said that it was fear that kept him from stopping his truck for officers.
'I just didn't want to lose my life or lose my arm,' Mr Rose told NBC News' Tom Llamas on 'Top Story with Tom Llamas.'
Mr Rose had made a 911 call that revealed he told the dispatcher he felt unsafe after he was instructed to roll down the window.
”I did that the last time and all of them had their guns pointed at me. You think I feel safe?”
Mr Rose told dispatchers that the officers following him were “trying to kill” him and he “did not feel safe” enough to pull over the vehicle, according to recordings released by the Ross County Sheriff's Office.
Mr Rose also said he was confused about why he was being asked to pull over and why police had their guns drawn when he stopped.
