A Vancouver man has filed a civil lawsuit after he was allegedly mauled by a Vancouver police service canine.
Thirty-three-year-old Sam Saltah alleges he was attacked exterior his East Vancouver home in August 2023 as he was having a cigarette.
“Something grabbed me off the chair onto the ground and started shaking its head left and right and biting my leg,” Saltah advised Global News.
Saltah mentioned he then heard two individuals approaching.
I noticed them, they usually begin telling me, one among them begins telling me to cease attacking the canine,” he mentioned.
Audio of the canine attacking the five-foot-five, 132-pound man was captured by a neighbor’s surveillance digicam.
You may also hear somebody, presumably the canine handler, giving orders to Saltah to “let go of my dog.”
Saltah’s accidents resulted in a C. difficile an infection, and he mentioned he has been unable to work or proceed his research to change into a pastor.
He has filed a civil declare towards the 2 officers concerned and the City of Vancouver.
“The lawsuit here alleges the high duty was not met by the police officers,” Lawyer John Rice mentioned. “The claim sounds an assault, battery and negligence.”
Saltah says the officers ultimately apologized.
A Syrian refugee, Saltah says the attack was terrifying and never what he anticipated in Canada, including, “I came here because it’s supposedly a safe place but after this I don’t think there’s anywhere safe.”
Vancouver police say an inside investigation into the matter will proceed as soon as the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner completes its investigation.
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