Azle firefighter accused of beating dog, arrested on animal cruelty charge
A North Texas firefighter was arrested after a video that appears to show him aggressively beating a dog surfaced on social media, Fort Worth police said.
The former Azle firefighter, Tyler Stein, was arrested on Friday. Stein faces a charge of cruelty to an animal with serious bodily injury, according to police records.
The incident happened in March 2024, but police began investigating after Stein’s ex-girlfriend posted a Ring video on social media and reported the abuse, according to the police report.
Stein, who lives in Fort Worth, was initially placed on administrative leave and later resigned from the Azle Fire Department after authorities began investigating the videos, the Star-Telegram previously reported.
Video reveals firefighter aggressively kicking dog
A Ring camera video, apparently filmed in the living room of Stein’s Fort Worth home, shows him dragging a dog over to the sofa. He then aggressively hits and kicks the animal in the head with his open hand multiple times as it tries to escape, the video shows. In another video shared on social media, the man is seen yelling at a child, according to the Azle firefighters’ union.
“Azle firefighters are deeply troubled and saddened by the recently published videos depicting a member of our association engaged in apparent physical abuse of an animal and verbal abuse of a child,” the statement reads. “We condemn abuse in any form, and we stand with the community in demanding accountability and justice.”
The investigation is ongoing, Fort Worth police said.
This story was originally published September 21, 2025 at 4:55 PM.