SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A San Diego police dog is recovering after a knife-wielding man who held officers at bay Monday during a brief standoff in an Encanto-area neighborhood stabbed the dog while being subdued and arrested, authorities said.
The canine, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois named Dexter, suffered a broken rib and a lacerated spleen while scuffling with the belligerent man in the 600 block of 64th Street, according to San Diego police.
The events that led to the violent confrontation began shortly after 8:30 a.m., when a resident made a 911 call to report that her 22-year-old son was behaving in a violent and threatening manner, according to San Diego police.
When patrol personnel arrived, the young man grabbed a kitchen knife and refused repeated orders to drop it and surrender, Sgt. Thomas Sullivan said.
After several minutes, Dexter was sent in to try to subdue the belligerent man, who allegedly responded by stabbing the animal. Officers then rushed the man, disarmed him and took him into custody, Sullivan said.
The wounded service dog was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he underwent surgery. He was expected to recover, police said.
The arrestee, whose name was not immediately available, was booked into county jail following a medical evaluation.