A police K-9 helped officers disarm and arrest a man threatening his roommate and her family with a machete at their Richmond home on Tuesday.
Authorities received a call early in the morning from the roommate, who said the suspect was threatening to kill both her and her young family, which included her five-year-old child, according to the department’s Facebook page. The family locked themselves in a bedroom before escaping out of a window as the suspect continuously banged loudly on the door.
Police arrived on the scene and escorted the family to safety.
Officer Sanchez, a bilingual member of Richmond’s crisis team, attempted to calm down the suspect down while speaking to him through the front window of the home, however he remained agitated.
After making several threats towards the officers, the suspect, still wielding the machete, left the house and advanced towards the unit.
The K-9 named Gunnar "bravely" aprehended the suspect and allowed police to safely detain him in handcuffs, officials said.
Neither the family nor the officers were injured during the incident.
"The safe conclusion of this incident was an exceptional collaborative effort by our patrol team, who utilized a multitude of available skills and resources to ensure the safety of our community," authorities concluded in their release.
Richmond Police Department
Richmond Police Department
Richmond Police Department
Richmond Police Department
