Brandon Loehner was arrested on a number of charges, including kidnapping and reckless driving.
A confrontation with police turned terrifyingly violent when a man grabbed his baby and used him as a shield.
The tense standoff in Palm Coast, Florida, was captured on police bodycam footage. Deputies were faced with the tough dilemma of taking the suspect into custody without injuring the boy.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly says the shocking standoff started as a domestic dispute. The dad was accused of kidnapping his 1-year-old son and a police chase ended at a McDonald's drive-thru window.
Police repeatedly warned him to put the boy down and get on the ground. He wouldn't, so they tased him. Staly says it was “extremely difficult” to make sure they didn’t hit the baby.
“When you fire a taser, you're sending out two prongs. Fortunately, one prong hit the suspect in the leg and the other one in his chest area, but away from the baby,” Staly said.
Deputies immediately rushed in to rescue the baby and reassure him. The suspect, Brandon Loehner, rolled under a vehicle with a police dog in pursuit. He then crawled out as the little boy called for this dad. As Loehner continued to resist, the K-9 bit down on his leg.
After Loehner was taken into custody, the baby was reunited with his mom.
Loehner was treated for injuries received from the police dog. He was arrested on a number of charges, including kidnapping and reckless driving.
