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Police arrest man they were looking for when K9 was killed, charged for robbing Dollar Tree

Posted at 10:41 AM, Oct 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-10 12:52:46-04

The man who was arrested this week for a violent incident at a Waco Dollar Tree was the suspect being served a warrant when a K-9 officer turned on a Waco police officer

According to the arrest affidavit, on Sept. 22, Kevin Copeland went to the Dollar Tree store on Wooded Acres Drive with his family and got into an argument with the store manager.

The affidavit says Copeland was unprovoked and escalated the incident by destroying store property, turning over displays and by breaking a cash register.

As Copeland walked away, the store manager took a picture of him on her cell phone. Copeland then turned around, walked back to her and forcefully stole her phone.

Much of the incident was captured on surveillance video. 

The manager then followed him outside, pleading with Copeland to return her phone.

The affidavit says Copeland grabbed her and violently threw her to the ground. When she got back up, he threw her back on the ground and aggressively told her to stay there as he got in a car and drove away.

Bystanders captured the incident outside on their cell phones, which was reviewed by investigating officers.

Copeland was identified through the physical description of the suspect seen on surveillance video.

Police were serving the arrest warrant for Copeland on to a home located on Seneca Avenue when a Waco police K-9 turned on his handler, causing another officer to shoot and kill the dog. Copeland was not at the home at the time of the incident. 

Copeland was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Ennis, Texas. 

He was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the McLennan County Jail on a robbery - bodily injury charge.

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