CANTON, Ohio — The Canton Police Department has announced that it has begun an internal investigation into an incident involving the "deployment" of a K-9 on a suspect on Thursday evening.
According to a statement from the department, the incident happened in the 1100 block of 16th Street Northwest at approximately 8:45 p.m. Body camera video from a Canton K-9 officer appears to show the police dog aggressively charge at a suspect who was on the ground following a traffic stop made by officers nearby.
Canton police say the K-9 officer, Patrolman Nicholas Casto, has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
"During a traffic stop, the arrested suspect was found to be in possession of a loaded concealed handgun. The arrested suspect is prohibited from possessing firearms," Canton police noted in its report of the incident. "Other arrested subjects caused annoyance on scene, were advised to cease, and refused to do so. The disorderly subjects then delayed officers duties and fought with officers who were attempting to arrest them."
As the tensions were continuing, Canton police say "multiple threats of violence were made toward a police K-9 that was on scene."
Body camera video shows Casto warning a male suspect not to say anything else to his dog. He then says to the suspect, "you're about to go in cuffs," as other officers approach the scene. "He's under arrest for taunting the dog," Casto told the officers.
Three officers tackled the suspect to the ground in front of a house, while Casto and his K-9 were standing nearby. The video shows the K-9 appearing to attack the suspect while on the ground with his hands behind his back. Police order the suspect to stop resisting before placing handcuffs on him.
The man, Kieven Conver, was transported to Mercy Hospital following the K-9 attack. Conver was charged with resisting arrest, obstructing official business and disorderly conduct.
Conver's family has hired Cleveland-based attorney Bobby DiCello to represent them, according to a release from the DiCello Levitt law firm. DiCello has previously represented the family of Jayland Walker following his 2022 death at the hands of Akron police, and is currently also representing the family of Frank Tyson after he died while in Canton police custody.
DiCello issued the following statement Friday night:
"This is the fourth major incident in only two years involving excessive force unleashed by the Canton police department. Residents of Canton are forced to live in a city under siege by the police. The community's response is desperate apathy and hopelessness because they have learned the hard way that law enforcement will not be there to protect them.
"We ask Governor Mike DeWine, State Senators, and the Department of Justice to immediately step up and start an investigation into systemic, racially motivated violence and gang-style culture prevalent in the Canton Police Department."
DiCello later sat down with 3News' Russ Mitchell to discuss the case:
Canton Mayor William V. Sherer II released this statement along with the police reports and body camera footage:
"I am aware of the incident regarding Canton Police K-9 Officer Nicholas Casto that took place on the evening of May 30th. Effective today, Officer Casto has been placed on paid administrative leave per department policy. I take these occurrences very seriously. I understand the community will have questions, and I will ensure that my office will be forthcoming with information as it becomes available."
Stark County Prosecuting Attorney Kyle L. Stone also released the following statement:
"I have been made aware of an incident that took place yesterday May 30, 2024, with the City of Canton Police Department. While I absolutely understand the community’s concern and outrage, I do not have jurisdictional oversight of the Canton Police Department. This oversight rests with the City of Canton and the Canton Law Department. If, however, after an investigation is completed and it requires action from my office, I will do what’s necessary to effectuate justice accordingly. Until it becomes necessary for my office to take action there will be no further statements regarding this unfortunate situation.”
TIMELINE OF THE INCIDENT
The following timeline was compiled from investigative reports filed by police officers J’than Hampton, Michael Herrera, Jacob Rosen and Matthew Thomas:
- According to an investigative report filed by Officer J’than Hampton, Kyshawn Hawkins, 19, was observed by police “failing to use a turn signal before pulling over to the curb.”
- Four officers in two different vehicles activate lights and sirens and initiate a traffic stop.
- “Almost instantly” after police activate lights and sirens, police say Hawkins and his front seat passenger, J’Dyn Campbell 18, opened their doors. Both men were asked to stay in the vehicle.
- Hampton stated he was “unable to see the back seat due to dark tinted windows.”
- A report filed by Officer Michael Herrera alleges Hawkins immediately “began to argue with officers and advised we could not search his vehicle.
- Hampton asked Hawkins, who had already turned off the car and taken the keys out of the ignition, to unlock the door. Hawkins refused. Officer Jacob Rosen unlocked the door using the front door control.
- Herrera’s report states: “His actions of attempting to flee from the car and immediately advising us that we could not search his vehicle made me believe that he had something in the vehicle that he was not supposed to have.”
- According to detective Matthew Thomas, the officer “peered into the the rear seat and could observe an open bottle of liquor.”
- Thomas asked Hawkins to exit the vehicle. According to Thomas’ report, Hawkins complied with the request. Hampton’s report states Hawkins was “assisted out of the vehicle” after refusing a search of his vehicle.
- At one point Hawkins told Thomas he was not 21. Thomas told Hawkins that since neither he nor his passenger were 21, Thomas would search the car due to the open bottle. Hawkins told Thomas it was “an old bottle,” per Thomas’ report.
- Hampton’s report states that during this time, Hawkins “repeatedly asked us what our probable cause was.”
- Hawkins and Campbell were detained as Thomas searched the car.
- According to Thomas, it was around that time when a “large crowd” of neighborhood residents converged around the area and began “yelling and acting disorderly.”
- “People were beginning to surround us from both the north and south sides of the street, and spilling out into the street,” Thomas wrote.
- Thomas alleged he found a handgun concealed under the driver’s seat of the car. Thomas’ report states the gun had a magazine inserted and was “readily accessible only to the driver.” Thomas told the other officers to place Hawkins and Campbell into handcuffs.
- As the teens were placed in handcuffs, Thomas said the crowd became more combative. Hampton described the crowd as “irate” that the teens were being handcuffed.
- According to Herrera’s report, the officer turned his attention away from the teens and began addressing the crowd. Herrera said “multiple” people entered the roadway and were “advised multiple times to get back.”
- Herrera’s report states he started giving verbal commands to the crowd and “several subjects became aggressive in their motions as they stepped towards me and in their verbal responses.”
- “I did retrieve my OC spray and did advise the aggressive subjects to get back again,” Herrera wrote. Herrera requested police backup, which arrived some time later.
- According to Hampton, Thomas had not yet secured the loaded handgun or finished searching the vehicle. “This posed a serious risk to officers on scene who were greatly outnumbered,” Hampton wrote in his report.
- Police requested an impound for Hawkins’ vehicle. While officers waited, Thomas and Herrera both stated that the crowd was “disorderly.”
- Herrera told a police sergeant that the crowd became “aggressive,” but that two specific people were the “main aggressors.” Thomas’ report states two men were on opposite sides of the road “making threats to attack the police K9 that was on scene.”
- Thomas alleged one of the men, Michael Skillern, 37, “threatened to loose (sic) his own dog on officers.”
- Around this time, Thomas said Hawkins was being walked to a police car and alleges the 19-year-old began trying to pull away from officers and “had to be further restrained.”
- “These actions enraged the crowd even more, increasing their disorderly and belligerent behavior,” Thomas wrote.
- According to Hampton, Kieven Conver, 43, walked toward Nicholas Casto and his police dog and “made threats of violence aimed toward the K9, and continuously screamed and yelled vulgar language.”
- According to Hampton, moments later officers attempted to handcuff Conver. Hampton said Conver allegedly tensed up and attempted to push and pull away from officers. Hampton stated he “performed a take down” in an attempt to handcuff Conver, who continued to pull away, at one point “locking one officer’s hands in between his armpit and body.”
- As Conver was being handcuffed, Herrera’s report states Skillern ran across the street toward the officers.
- Thomas states Skillern shoved officers and was subdued and handcuffs by multiple officers.
- During the struggle with Skillern, Herrera released pepper spray, hitting Skillern and multiple officers were exposed to the spray, including Herrera, his report states.
- Hampton’s report states that around the same time, the crowd gathered around and approached officers. Hampton states: “I then advised that Conver would be bit as officers struggled to handcuff him.” Hampton stated he then “allowed the K9 to apprehend Conver” and alleged Conver continued to resist while his hands were behind his back.
- “Once Conver showed that he was no longer fighting with officers and the K9 was detached, I handcuffed and secured Conver. Medics were requested and Conver was transported to Mercy Hospital,” Hampton stated.
This is a developing story. Stay with 3News for more details as they become available.