DC officials demand answers after Takoma Park K9 attack

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - Nearly two months after a woman was mistakenly attacked by a police K9, elected officials in Northwest D.C. are demanding answers.

"To be frank, two months is a long time to wait for answers from anybody," said Evan Yeats, commissioner for ANC 4B01.

The incident happened on Dec. 4, just after midnight, when Ayanna Brooks was walking her dog alongside her boyfriend, Joseph Burroughs.

Officers were in the area searching for suspected car thieves when, according to police reports, a K9 named Drogo broke free and latched onto Brooks' leg. She'd go on to receive 21 stitches.

"There's been multiple times that my boyfriend has had to wake me up when I've been sleeping because I've been screaming in my sleep," Brooks said late last month.

Although the incident involved a Takoma Park Police K9, Brooks was bitten near the intersection of Carroll and Maple Avenues, just across the D.C. border. That's why Yeats got involved.

"People should be able to go for a walk at night without being worried about being attacked by a police dog," he said.

Seeking more information, Yeats introduced resolutions at Monday night's ANC 4B meeting calling for letters of inquiry to be sent to both the Metropolitan Police Department as well as the city of Takoma Park. The resolutions passed unanimously.

"I'm looking for accountability," Yeats said. "I want to know not only that you're going to investigate it but that you're going to do something with the findings that you have from the investigation to ensure that this never happens in my neighborhood again."

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation. A spokesperson for Takoma Park Police replied to a request for comment via email, stating, "The police chief and city manager have been in contact with elected officials and MPD senior staff in the District of Columbia regarding the incident and on-going investigations. Once both investigations have been completed, a statement on the findings will be released."