Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker says a dispute over a woman led to the assault of a one male, the arrest of five others. Danker says they also had to shoot a vicious animal. He says they received a report Tuesday, from the victim of an assault in Walnut. The man told police five men came to his home. One restrained him by holding a weapon to his throat, while the other assaulted him using brass knuckles and a vice-grip wrench. The victim was able to identify the men.
The Pottawattamie County Emergency Response Team (E-R-T) searched two apartments, in Avoca, and in addition to recovering evidence believed used in the crime, they discovered two boa constrictors, a cat, a flying squirrel and a total of four pit bulls Danker says one of the dogs attacked an E-R-T member and had to be killed.
Danker says the officers tried to subdue the dog with chemical mace, but it dove at one of them and hit the officer’s hand as he flew past. The animal then turned around and tried to attack again. Danker says that’s when one of the other deputies shot the dog three times. As the animal continued toward the injured officer, he fired one more round from his service weapon and the animal was killed.
Each of the bullets was fired from a 40-caliber handgun. The officer who was bitten received cuts, but was not hospitalized. All of the animals were confiscated by animal control.
Arrested in connection with the alleged assault, was 16-year old Cameron Behrens, of Harlan, along with his brothers, 17-year-old Theodore Behrens and 19-year-old Blake Behrens, and, 18-year-old Christopher Courtney, all of whom are from Avoca. Also arrested, from Avoca, was 21-year-old Jermy Harriman. The younger Behrens was charged with serious assault and false imprisonment. Theodore Behrens, Courtney and Harriman have each been charged with willful injury, going armed with intent, false imprisonment and assault with a dangerous weapon.
Blake Behrens will face charges of Willful injury, armed with intent, false imprisonment and possession with the intent to deliver. Danker says additional charges are pending, in connection with property recovered at the scene that been reported stolen.