North Texas firefighter on leave after video of assault on dog goes viral
A North Texas firefighter and paramedic is under investigation after a video that appears to show him beating a dog surfaced on social media, officials said.
The Azle Fire Department has not released the name of the employee, but said he’s on administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation.
“We are following all appropriate procedures to address the situation,” Azle Fire Chief Thomas Scott said in a statement Wednesday. “While we are limited in what we can share regarding personnel matters, we want to assure the public that we are committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining the trust of our community.”
The video, which appears to be from a Ring camera and filmed in a living room, shows a man dragging a dog over to the sofa. Then he hits the animal in the head with his open hand and begins to kick it. The dog repeatedly tries to get away, but the man pulls it back and continues to aggressively kick and hit the animal.
At one point, the man can be seen forcing the dog’s head to the ground and holding it there. The dog finally manages to run out of the room. The man follows the animal out the door and then back into the house.
Another video reportedly shows the man yelling at a child, the Azle Professional Firefighters Association confirmed in a Facebook post.
“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.”
Fort Worth Police Department officials said they are aware of the video, which may have been recorded in Fort Worth, but no one has filed a police report yet. An animal cruelty detective is looking into the incident.
