LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — 8 News Now has obtained police body camera video and grand jury transcripts that detail the stabbing of a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department K9 four months ago. It shows the tense situation that led up to the K9 Kimura being released on the armed suspect and subsequently being stabbed in the neck.

The first few seconds of the video are silent, but the situation quickly becomes apparent as shouting is heard from officers and the suspect.

Kimura did recover following emergency surgery and was back on the job about six weeks later.

Note to viewer: There is no audio in the first few seconds of the footage. The below images may also be considered disturbing to some viewers.

The incident happened on April 13, 2020, when a Metro Officer Vargus Berbe attempted to make a traffic stop on Jeffrey Holland for an expired plate. However Holland didn’t pull over but instead drove to an apartment building and was followed by the officer.

“Once he got out with the large machete he was approaching my car, pointing at me and approaching my car in a fast pace. I ultimately threw the car in reverse, the patrol vehicle, and immediately floored it so I ended up in the middle of Cambridge on the street,” Berbe testified.

The officer called for backup as Holland entered an apartment. Included in the backup was K9 Kimura and his handler.

Officer Berbe testified that Holland came out of the apartment armed with a large knife.

“He is holding it in a manner where he is, he’s holding it pretty much to his side raising it and
he is challenging officers to approach him.”

According to police testimony, Holland ignored police commands and K9 Kimura was released.

“In my mind I felt that if I did not deploy the dog probably somebody was going to get stabbed, one of my officers was going to get stabbed, or ultimately we would have to shoot the suspect,” said Officer Nick Bachman, Kimura’s handler.

The video shows K9 Kimura latch onto the suspect and the two tussle on the floor.

“I see him pulling Kimura down towards his chest with his right hand and I saw his left hand come up with the large knife and stab my dog,” Bachman said.

Officers used a taser on Holland and then were able to take him into custody. It was at that point that Officer Bachman noticed how serious the wound was on the back of Kimura’s neck.

“This was about a six-inch deep hole that you could almost put your fist inside of,” he said.

Bachman said Kimura had also been bitten near the nose and eyes by Holland.

Holland was indicted on Aug. 5 on the following charges: Intimidating a public officer, assault on a protected person with use of a deadly weapon, resisting a public officer with use of a
deadly weapon and mistreatment of a police animal.

Following the K9’s recovery, Bachman said watching Kimura get stabbed was heartbreaking but he was proud of how well Kimura performed his job.

“He’s a good boy. He did his job. He held on and didn’t come off until the end even after being stabbed.”