Drug raid turns bloody after pit bulls maul officers, police bodycam video shows

Pit bulls mauled several Massachusetts cops last week during a police raid at a snack shop, according to police bodycam video.

Around 1 p.m. March 5, officers with the Webster Police Department as well as FBI agents executed a search warrant at Mr. Exotix’s snack retail shop

The police chief urged the courts to subject both suspects to the maximum penalty allowable.

The search warrant was granted after a several-months-long investigation into the sale and distribution of narcotics from the store.

“When you see it’s a business and selling marijuana products to minors, that’s very disturbing,” Webster police Chief Mike Shaw told WCVB-TV.

Police said they were “met with heavy resistance” from two male suspects during the raid.

The cops also were victims of a dog attack. Police said in a statement that officers were attacked by “two large pit bull-type dogs.”

One of the dogs was “immobilized” when an officer used a taser.

Chief Shaw stated, “The dogs got agitated when the officers made entry to take the suspects; the dogs attacked one officer straightaway and bit him in the leg and he required 11 stitches.”

Four Webster officers were injured in the dog attack. Three officers were transported to the University of Massachusetts Webster Hospital. They’ve since been released.

WCVB-TV posted police bodycam video of the pit bull attack.

In addition, law enforcement seized “numerous illicit substances, one firearm, ammunition, one taser, and other contraband.”

Police arrested 35-year-old Jeffrey Salley of Yonkers, New York.

Salley was charged with possession of an electric stun gun, obstruction of justice, two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class C substance, possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance, possession of a Class E substance, and conspiracy to violate the drug law.

Police also arrested 30-year-old Gabriel Blandino of the Bronx, New York.

Blandino was charged with possession of a firearm without an FID card, possession of ammunition without an FID card, improperly storing a firearm, leaving ammunition unattended, possession of an electric stun gun, two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class C substance, possession with intent to distribute a Class D substance, possession of a Class E substance, and conspiracy to violate the drug law.

Webster Animal Control took possession of the two dogs and determined the dogs were not up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations but are otherwise in “good health and safe.” The pit bulls are subject to a 10-day quarantine.

Chief Shaw stated, “It is never easy to see my officers get injured in performing their duties. What angers me more about this is the fact that this was a commercial establishment that was openly distributing narcotics. What angers me even more is the resistance the officers encountered by the males inside, and then the two pit bulls attacking them as they attempted to secure the individuals and the scene.”

The chief applauded the officers for their restraint in not shooting the pit bulls but noted they would have been “justified to do so.”

Chief Shaw urged the courts to subject both suspects to the maximum penalty allowable.

“Operations such as this erode the very fabric of our community, which already has more than its share of challenges,” Shaw said. “As a community, we should be outraged and demand nothing less.”

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