SOUTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A 4-year-old Belgian Malinois shepherd was one of the heroes who captured escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante Wednesday.
Yoda, a member of a U.S. Border Patrol tactical unit – called BORTAC – from El Paso, Texas, was used by Pennsylvania authorities to capture Cavalcante, who had been evading authorities for two weeks.
Cavalcante started crawling through the undergrowth while holding a rifle in an attempt to escape, but Yoda managed to catch him, WPVI-TV reported.
BORTAC agents released the dog after Cavalcante attempted to flee from state agents and police who had surrounded the fugitive in thick brush, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
“When the dog reached him, he then laid down with the dog on top of him – the dog was able to hold him there,” State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said during the ‘a press conference. “I was told the rifle was within reach.”
Officers said Yoda played a significant role in preventing Cavalcante from using the rifle in his possession, WPVI reported.
The dog first bit Cavalcante’s scalp, then his thigh, Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Clark told reporters. “At that point, Cavalcante submitted.
( Danelo Cavalcante, escaped prisoner from Pennsylvania, captured )
“I think he was in pain at the time,” Clark said. “He was probably in terrible pain.”
Bivens said police dogs play “a very important role” in safely subduing subjects. Law enforcement dogs are trained to attack once and will be released on command. Investigator reported.
The American Kennel Club describes the Belgian Malinois as an “intelligent, confident and versatile” breed that works hard and forms unbreakable bonds with humans, Investigator reported. It has been recognized by the AKC as a breed in 1959.
Belgian Malinois are smaller and lighter than German Shepherds and are sought by police for K-9 operations, according to the newspaper.