Joseph Washington
September 13, 2026 · Instagram · Facebook · YouTube
Click the links above to see video and our reporting on this incident.
Are police dogs really an alternative to deadly force?
Police had compelling grounds to arrest Joseph Washington.
After he emerged from a dumpster in St. Paul, Officer Anthony Dean fired three times.
Washington fell, a police dog bit him, and Dean fired again. Washington survived. Investigators found no weapon at the shooting scene.
He was later convicted of sexual assault and kidnapping. St. Paul approved a $350,000 settlement over the police shooting, without admitting liability.
Condemning sexual violence does not require endorsing police violence.
Do you think police dogs really “prevent” deadly force… or do they just add another weapon to the encounter?
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