A 48-year-old man in Colorado is facing serious charges after allegedly biting off a police officer’s finger during his arrest over the weekend.
Tyron Brooks was arrested on Saturday and charged with felony second-degree assault on a police officer, according to a report by Law and Crime on Tuesday.
The arrest took place after officers from the Denver Police Department responded to a domestic violence incident in an alley behind The Pioneer Bar around 1 p.m. on Saturday, as per a probable cause affidavit obtained by Denver’s Fox affiliate KDVR.
Upon arrival, officers encountered Brooks in a confrontation with a frightened woman. Witnesses reported that Brooks assumed a defensive posture and prevented the woman from speaking to the police, insisting that she remain silent.
Despite attempts by officers to communicate with the woman, Brooks allegedly forcefully covered her mouth to prevent her from responding. Concerned for her safety, officers moved to apprehend Brooks.
During the arrest, Brooks reportedly resisted and managed to flip onto his back. At that point, he allegedly bit off a portion of an officer’s left ring finger, severing it, according to details from the police affidavit.
After biting off the officer’s finger, Brooks reportedly spat out the severed portion before being subdued and taken into custody.
The injured officer was treated at a nearby hospital and later released, police said.
Brooks, who reportedly did not cooperate with the investigation, was transported to the Downtown Detention Center and officially booked. In addition to the assault charge, he faces charges of disturbing the peace and making threats to injure a person or property, according to records.
