Duluth man faces jail time for assaulting police dog

A Duluth man will spend six months in jail for punching a police dog and stealing a car.

Brandon DeMario Shaw, 21, pleaded guilty in Douglas County Circuit Court on Monday to one felony count of operating a motor vehicle without owner’s consent and one misdemeanor count of harassment of police and fire animals- cause injury.

He was sentenced to six months jail and ordered to pay $594 in fines and court costs. He’s also required to provide a DNA sample.

One count of obstructing an officer was dismissed.

According to the complaint:

In the early morning hours of July 26, Superior Police Officer Todd Maas noticed and followed a vehicle that had been reported stolen in Duluth. The vehicle ran out of gas and stopped in the alley near the 2100 block of Tower Avenue.

When the driver, later identified as Shaw, exited the vehicle, Maas ordered him to get on the ground or he could be bitten by his canine partner, Blek.

Shaw jumped a four-foot fence and attempted to flee on foot. He lost his footing and went to his knees. As Blek was about to apprehend him, Shaw punched the dog’s left ear, then grappled both the dog’s ears, raised the Blek’s head and appeared to bite the dog on the head.

He also struck the dog on the muzzle before running away. Blek located Shaw again and the 21-year-old fled across Tower Avenue, leaving a shoe behind in the road; he jumped a six-and-a-half foot fence.

A veterinarian from Superior Animal Hospital said it was likely the dog was bruised and sore from the assault.

Blek, who joined the Superior police department in 2006, remains on active duty with the force.

Injuring a police animal is a felony charge. The count was amended to a misdemeanor Monday as part of a plea bargain.

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