‘Watch out for my dog.’ Wanted Bradenton man sends pitbull at three deputies, cops say

Deputies had a Bradenton man cornered in the bedroom when he sent his pitbull after them, according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office news release.

Cops attempted to serve an active arrest warrant around 7:54 a.m. Friday in the 1900 block of 58th Avenue Drive W. in Bradenton, but 34-year-old Matthew Jacobs refused to exit his home.

According to the sheriff’s office, they made forced entry and located Jacobs in a back bedroom of the residence.

An arrest report said three deputies found Jacobs sitting on the bed, holding on to a brown male pitbull mix. Deputies ordered him not to release the dog, but he let the dog go anyway, the sheriff’s office said.

“Watch out for my dog,” Jacobs said, right after sending the “aggressive” dog after officers, according to the report.

Deputies fired multiple shots at the dog as it lunged at three deputies in the room. The dog was shot in the shoulder, the rear and the neck before it stopped. The dog died at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.

None of the deputies involved were injured in the incident. Manatee County Animal Services removed the dog from the scene.

Jacobs was arrested on warrant charges, as well as three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and obstruction of justice.

This story was originally published May 31, 2019 at 4:27 PM.