Police dog bites man who jumped into lake during pursuit in double killing
Kwame Carpenter, wanted for questioning in the death of his girlfriend and son in Anaheim, was found early Tuesday at a park and detained after an officer-involved shooting.
The hunt for a person of interest in the killing of a woman and her baby in Anaheim ended early Tuesday with a police dog swimming into an Orange County park lake and biting the man until he surrendered, officials said.
The bizarre scene played out before sunrise at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley after Kwame Carpenter allegedly fled from police and ran into the park about 3:30 a.m., said Fountain Valley police Sgt. Anthony Luce.
Carpenter, 24, was wanted for questioning in the Monday-morning killing of his girlfriend and 6-month-old son at an apartment complex in the 2600 block of West Ball Road in Anaheim, authorities said. Police had responded after receiving a call about a violent assault and found the woman and infant. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene and the infant died later at a hospital. Their identities have not been released by the Orange County coroner.
Investigators identified Carpenter as a person of interest but couldn’t locate him.
Early Tuesday, a security guard at a hospital in Fountain Valley spotted Carpenter sleeping in a car in the hospital parking lot, Luce said. The employee told a Santa Ana police officer who was at the hospital on another matter, and that officer notified Fountain Valley police, Luce said.
When officers awakened Carpenter, he started the car and fled, Luce said. During his escape, Carpenter allegedly drove toward a Fountain Valley police officer, who shot at him twice but didn’t hit him, authorities said.
Carpenter sped out of the parking lot but didn’t make it far, according to police. He drove into another vehicle then crashed into a curb at the park and bailed out, Luce said.
An officer followed him into the park and spotted him in the water, Luce said. Video from the incident showed police spotlights shining on Carpenter, whose head was poking out of the water. When he refused to surrender, police sent in the dog, which swam up to Carpenter and bit him until he came out, Luce said.
He was then taken into custody and handed over to Anaheim detectives hours later for questioning.
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