Source-attributed police K-9 hospitalization record · 2026-10-15

LAPD K-9 bite sends pursuit suspect back to hospital for surgery after infection

An October 18 LAPD preliminary report details an October 15 K-9 bite to a suspect’s hand and wrist; after initial medical clearance, physicians identified an infection and called for surgical cleaning.

Nonfatal · hospitalized / surgery requiredBreed: Unknown / not reportedLos Angeles, CA

Date2026-10-15 · Approximately 4:30 a.m. Pacific; initial K-9 response following an LAPD pursuit on October 15; hospitalization and surgery decision later that day.

LocationSouthwest Patrol Division perimeter; Rodriguez was found under patio furniture in a backyard. Exact Los Angeles address and property not disclosed by LAPD.

Victim(s)Andres Rodriguez (person arrested); age not disclosed in the reviewed LAPD account.

Dogs involvedOne Los Angeles Police Department Metropolitan Division K-9; name and breed not identified in the preliminary department report.

Injury severityHospitalized / surgery required — left hand and wrist canine bite became infected; an examining physician determined surgical irrigation and cleaning were necessary, LAPD reported.

Breed attributionUnknown / not reportedThe official October 18 LAPD preliminary report identifies a police canine but does not state a breed. BiteDB does not infer a German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois or any other type from K-9 status.

What the record currently shows

Incident summary

LAPD reported that on October 15 officers searched for Andres Rodriguez after a vehicle pursuit. A Metropolitan Division K-9 located him hiding beneath patio furniture in a backyard. LAPD said Rodriguez grabbed the canine, which bit his left hand and wrist; he was arrested and initially treated and cleared for booking. Later, detention medical staff transferred him back to a hospital for higher-level care, where a physician diagnosed an infected canine bite and determined that surgery was needed to irrigate and clean the wound. LAPD said its Force Investigation Division was investigating; these are preliminary police statements, not final investigative findings.

Legal-status note

LAPD reported Rodriguez was taken into custody after a pursuit. The department is investigating the K-9 contact through its Force Investigation Division. No final force-investigation determination, criminal conviction or civil liability finding was established by the reviewed report; surgical completion and outcome were not independently confirmed.

Media & source coverage

Video, reporting and source material

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↗Official LAPD sourceLAPD — K9 Contact with Hospitalization NRF039-26NEOriginal police bulletin; no reproduced imagery or claims of a completed investigation.

Source provenance

Primary record used by BiteDB

LAPD — K9 Contact with Hospitalization NRF039-26NEOriginal Los Angeles Police Department preliminary force-investigation bulletin (primary official source) · Published 2026-10-18 · Accessed 2026-10-22

LAPD stated that the October 15 K-9 bite occurred during a search for a fleeing vehicle-pursuit suspect, after Rodriguez grabbed the canine. The bite affected his left hand and wrist. He was cleared for booking initially, later hospitalized with an infected canine bite, and a physician determined surgical cleaning was necessary. LAPD emphasized that its preliminary investigative account may change.

Open primary LAPD report ↗

Additional sources

No independent witness, medical record or final force-investigation report was available in the reviewed source. The incident remains explicitly attributed to LAPD’s preliminary account.

Data-quality notes

What BiteDB does not infer

Breed is recorded only at the provenance level shown above. Missing injury details, dog history, ownership facts or circumstances remain unknown unless a reliable source establishes them. This record may be updated as police, animal-control, medical, court or follow-up reporting becomes available.