US Marshals defend member after he was seen kicking dog during capture of fugitive

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC/Gray News) – Video of a small dog getting kicked by a federal officer in Tennessee has gone viral with the dog’s owner saying the deputy U.S. marshal had no reason to do so.

Emma Hollingsworth said her boyfriend was being placed under arrest by the Memphis Safe Task Force when her 9-month-old mini schnauzer, named Yoshi, bolted out the front door.

WMC obtained two videos which show the marshals service employee kicking Yoshi not once but twice.

“I was very mad,” Hollingsworth said. “I was very angry.”

Hollingsworth’s boyfriend, Jaquize Henderson, was taken into custody by the task force at their Whitehaven apartment that same day.

Court records show he was wanted on an arrest warrant for a commercial burglary in North Mississippi.

As Henderson walked out of his home and was forced to the ground, Yoshi made a dash toward the K-9 officer outside with the task force, getting kicked away by one of the marshals.

“You’re not supposed to do that to my dog,” Hollingsworth said. “He didn’t even do anything, why would you forcefully kick him like that?“

The first video obtained by WMC shows the task force member kicking Yoshi toward the building. The dog can be heard yelping as he runs away.

The second video shows Yoshi running toward the K-9 again while Henderson was face down on the pavement getting handcuffed.

The K-9 handler pulls on his dog’s leash, trying to yank him away from Yoshi. The K-9’s tail was wagging during the entire encounter.

One task force member can be seen trying to shoo Yoshi away from the K-9, but the little dog kept circling around. That’s when the marshal, seen in the first video, wearing a distinctive blue ball cap, gives Yoshi a second kick, sending the little dog into the air.

“Everyone’s saying, ‘Why didn’t you come out and get your dog?’” Hollingsworth said. “The U.S. marshal was literally blocking me in the door of my apartment. So I couldn’t come out.”

In a statement, the U.S. Marshals Service said, “The dog tried repeatedly and aggressively to attack the working K9. The dog’s owner was instructed to restrain the dog but did not do so. A deputy marshal blocked the animal to keep it away from the K9.”

Law enforcement dog encounters that go viral on social media often trigger emotional reactions and jeopardize the public trust, which is why the National Sheriff’s Association created a training program for police and sheriff agencies nationwide.

Tennessee was the first state in the country to pass the General Patton Act enacted in 2004, which requires law enforcement officers to be trained in handling animals.

Hollingsworth said Yoshi suffered a fractured rib but will survive.

“And so, he’s just in his cage, sleeping a majority of the time and trying to recover from this,” she said.

The U.S. Marshals Service also said, “While the appearance of the incident is unfortunate, the deputy marshal’s action was not done with malice. It was a last resort, split-second action taken by a law enforcement officer to control the environment and mitigate a dangerous situation.”

Henderson has already bonded out of jail after his arrest. Hollingsworth said the two of them have to find a new place to live now because they have been evicted from their apartment.