A recently released video has revealed Florida deputies shooting down a suspect armed with a knife as he attempted to attack a police dog. The incident occurred on April 12 in Jacksonville, where deputies were called to a residence. They received reports that Matvey Klimenko was holding his ex-girlfriend hostage at knifepoint.
Klimenko, who had multiple outstanding warrants, had reportedly broken into the victim’s home and threatened to kill her. Upon their arrival, police officers negotiated with the suspect for several hours, trying to persuade him to surrender. During this time, they managed to safely guide the hostage out of the house through a window.
However, Klimenko subsequently fled the scene, with officers giving chase. A K-9 unit was called in to help locate the suspect, who was eventually found in the front yard of a nearby house. The video released by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office shows a K-9 handler releasing his dog in an attempt to pursue and apprehend Klimenko, who was still armed with a knife.
As the dog approached, deputies yelled at Klimenko to drop his weapon. The suspect raised the knife, seemingly preparing to stab the police dog. In response, officers fired several shots, causing Klimenko to fall to the ground. Later on, Klimenko was pronounced dead.
Klimenko had established a history of multiple domestic violence cases, with both his mother and sister filing restraining orders against him.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the incident to determine if the shooting was justified and in compliance with departmental procedures.