Isanti boy hospitalized after being bit by Anoka County K-9 dog

(FOX 9) - An off-duty police dog attacked a kid in its neighborhood Friday night, leaving the boy badly injured.

Shawn Martin says his 13-year-old son was playing basketball in his driveway in Isanti, when the Anoka County Sheriff’s K-9 rushed toward him and latched onto his hand.

"The dog was not letting go," Martin told FOX 9. "She had the dog straddled and she was attempting to get the dog to release."

Martin says the dog was not leashed when it attacked, and that his son didn’t do anything to provoke it.

According to a social media post, Bubba had graduated from training a week before the attack. The dog had only been on the job a few days, working in apprehension and drug detection.

"Bubba didn’t put Bubba in that house - humans did. And they checked off all the boxes that said he’s ready," said Martin. "Its more human error than the dog. The dog is trained to do what it does."

The Martins were told Bubba returned to the house the next day, and they’re concerned that authorities didn’t notify the neighbors about the attack.

A spokesperson for the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office said they continue to work closely with the family on the matter, adding that the Isanti Police Department is investigating the incident.

"Once we have reviewed all available information, we can move forward with assessing our policies and the K9 involved," said Lt. Bill Jacobson.  

Following Fox 9’s reporting, Isanti Police said Wednesday that they determined the dog is a "potentially dangerous dog" as defined by Minnesota state statute. The owner and the victim have been notified. Police did not say whether others that live in the neighborhood were notified.