Sheriff’s K-9 attacked by pit bull during standoff in Cherryland community

HAYWARD — What began as a response to a court order violation  Wednesday morning led to more than six-hour  standoff  between Alameda County sheriff’s deputies and a pellet rifle wielding man who also  brandished what was thought to be a stick of dynamite, authorities said.

A pit bull associated with the home where the standoff happened also attacked  a sheriff’s K-9, authorities said.

The  31-year-old suspect has been charged with two felonies:   resisting an executive officer and  possession of a destructive device and three misdemeanors:   brandishing a replica gun, resisting a police officer and  disobeying a domestic relations court order.  He has also been charged with violating parole and his being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail.

The volatile incident began about  2:20 a.m. Wednesday when  deputies were dispatched  to a home in the 21000 block of Meekland Avenue  in the unincorporated Cherryland community for a disturbance related  to the man violating a restraining order to stay away from a woman who lives in the home, authorities said.

When deputies arrived the suspect allegedly brandished what turned out later to be a pellet rifle at them from inside, Sheriff’s Sgt. Roberto Morales said. That prompted a call-out of additional deputies, including  the Special Response Unit,  Crisis Intervention Unit, and drone operators.

Deputies were able to safely evacuate other occupants of the home, but the man  remained inside.

While CIU deputies communicated with the man, he also brandished from inside   an 8 to 10-inch object  that looked consistent with a stick of dynamite and made threats that he had a bomb, Morales said. That later turned out to be  “a makeshift apparatus taped together to resemble dynamite,” authorities said.

The man refused to surrender, remained uncooperative  and continued to threaten deputies for several hours. A “gas irritant” was then deployed into the home by deputies to encourage the man to surrender, authorities said.

Before that, some neighbors in the area were evacuated  and those who chose not to were encouraged to shelter in place.

After the gas deployment,  a pit bull  came out of the yard of the residence and attacked a sheriff’s K-9 named Gambit.  Deputies are not sure if the suspect  deliberately released the dog  to attack the K-9 or if he let it out due to the gas irritant.

The K-9 suffered puncture wounds and was bleeding from its back leg following the attack. Its handler immediately took him to a veterinary hospital for treatment.

Authorities said it turned out the pit bull belonged to the person living at the home who had the restraining order and the dog was returned to her.

As negotiations continued the suspect  eventually  came out of the home to avoid the gas but then barricaded himself in the side yard.

He was ultimately arrested at about 8:40 a.m. and taken to a hospital for medical clearance before being booked at Santa Rita Jail.

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