NEW SMYNRA BEACH, Fla. — A K-9 with a Florida sheriff’s department made his first takedown of a “violent fugitive” wanted on several felony warrants, including carjacking and murder, authorities said Friday.
Red, the K-9 partner of Volusia County Sheriff’s Deputy Brett Whitson, tracked down Nassan Williams Bacon, 22, who was hiding in the backyard of a home behind a washer, dryer and other scrap metal, WFLA-TV reported.
In a news release on Friday, the DeLand Police Department announced indictments of first-degree murder against Bacon, John Torres, 22, and Isaiah Thomas in connection with a carjacking that occurred May 22 outside the DeLand campus of Florida Technical College. A man was shot during the carjacking and later died from his injuries, police said.
Deputies attempted to arrest Bacon on Thursday after he was recently observed buying a 60-round AK-47 magazine in New Smyrna Beach, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. He eventually hid behind a house, and deputies put K-9 Red on the hunt.
Warning: This video contains profanity.
K-9 Red “quickly tracked Bacon to his hiding spot,” the sheriff’s office said.
Bacon was taken into custody and treated for a bite injury at the scene, the sheriff’s office said. He was then taken to an area hospital for further treatment.
Thomas and Torres were already in the Volusia County Branch Jail on charges related to another attempted carjacking on May 21 outside a Walmart in DeLand, the DeLand Police Department said in its release. They made their first appearances on Friday and a judge ordered them held without bail.
Another suspect, Estella Luna, 24, was arrested in West Palm Beach on charges of principal to carjacking, principal to burglary, assault, and battery, according to the DeLand Police Department. She also appeared in court on Friday, WTVT reported.
In a separate case, Bacon was arrested in March and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, according to Volusia County online booking records.
More charges and arrests are pending in the May 22 case, according to the DeLand Police Department. The investigation is ongoing.
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