Suspect Fatally Shot After Almost Biting Cop’s Finger Off

Crofton, MD – The Maryland Attorney General’s Office released bodycam video on Tuesday of a fatal officer-involved shooting in January that occurred after a suspect seriously wounded an officer and almost bit his finger off.

Anne Arundel County Police Lieutenant Jacklyn Davis said officers responded to a home on in the 900-block of Danville Court at about 4 a.m. on Jan. 30 after receiving a 911 call from a woman who said her son had assaulted her and wouldn’t let her leave her home, WMAR reported.

The frightened mother stayed on the phone with the 911 operator while officers responded, but when they arrived, nobody answered the door.

Lt. Davis said she told the 911 operator that her son wouldn’t let her answer and gave permission for officers to make entry to her home, WMAR reported.

Bodycam video showed the officers broke open the front door of the house and then went up the stairs, repeatedly announcing their presence until they heard the mother calling out to them from a bedroom.

“Is he armed?” an officer asked through the door.

“No,” the mother answered.

Then the video showed the officer kicked the door open and entered with his weapon drawn.

“Let me see your hands!” the first officer into the bedroom ordered 20-year-old Dyonta Quarles, Jr.

Quarles was sitting on the foot of the bed and initially had his hands up in the air, the video showed.

He went to his knees on the carpet as if he was following commands, but as the officer approached him to take him into custody, Quarles got back up.

The officer backed out of the room and an officer carrying a Taser replaced him in the front position, the video showed.

Quarles allowed his mother to leave the room but then he lunged after her and attacked an officer in the hallway.

Officers deployed Tasers at Quarles but they appeared to have no effect, the video showed.

That was when the video showed Quarles attacked Anne Arundel Police Officer J. Ricci, WBFF reported.

Quarles repeatedly punched Officer Ricci in the face, but the officer got back up and subdued the violent suspect again.

But when Officer Ricci tried to handcuff the prone man, Quarles attacked again, biting the officer on the hand.

Bodycam video showed the officer screaming as Quarles nearly bit off fingers.

“Ah, stop biting me,” Officer Ricci screamed. “He’s biting my finger off!”

Quarles continued fighting the officers and the officer kept screaming, the video showed.

“He bit my f-king finger off. Shoot him. Shoot him. Shoot this motherf-ker. Shoot him,” Officer Ricci said.

The sound of a Taser being deployed can be heard in the video.

A second later, with Quarles’ teeth still locked into his hand, Officer Ricci opened fire and shot his attacker multiple times, the video showed.

Officer Ricci continued to emit horrifying screams after he shot Quarles, and the video showed he got up and tried to move away from the suspect’s body but then collapse in the hallway.

Police said the officer suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of the blows to the head from Quarles at the beginning of the encounter, WBFF reported.

Quarles died at the scene.

The Maryland Attorney General Office’s Independent Investigations Division is heading up the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, WBFF reported.

Watch the incident unfold in the video below: