dogged

Man arrested for beating couple, police dog in apparent hate crime

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Police in Palo Alto, California have arrested a man in connection with a brutal attack on a woman and a gay man as well as a police dog in a crime apparently motivated by hate.

Alexander Joseph Furrier, 26, faces charges of felony battery, felony hate crime, felony assault on a police dog, and resisting arrest, reports CBS News. 

According to law enforcement, Furrier attended a house party with a female friend on Saturday night (October 9). The woman later left the party with two gay men, prompting Furrier to follow them while shouting homophobic slurs. The two men eventually parted company with the woman, which Furrier continued to pursue. When one of the men returned, the encounter turned violent.

Related: Three arrested following brutal hate crime-murder of a gay man in Spain

The male victim confronted Furrier over his harassment, prompting Furrier to punch him several times while yelling homophobic epithets. The women then tried to intervene, at which point Furrier grabbed her and threw her to the ground.

The male victim–described as being in his 60s–lost consciousness and suffered cuts and bruises in the attack. The woman did not sustain serious injuries.

When police arrived on the scene, Furrier fled on foot, eventually hiding in a stairwell. Officers first tried to negotiate for Furrier to turn himself in before releasing a police dog on him. Furrier kicked and beat the animal, as well as choked it with his bare hands. The dog bit Furrier on the leg, finally getting him to relent. The dog later saw a veterinarian for a cut above its eyes and an injured paw, while Furrier’s male victim received treatment at a nearby hospital.

At the time of this writing, authorities are holding Furrier at Elmwood Correctional Facility in Milpitas without bail.

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