Taking a Bite Out of Crime: Homeless Man in Hollywood Bites Off Cop's Finger During Drug Arrest, Officials Say

A homeless man at a Hollywood subway station bit off a chunk of a veteran police officer’s finger during a chaotic arrest, according to authorities.

Around 10:15 a.m. on April 27, officers were trying to make an arrest at the East Hollywood Red Line train station, the Los Angeles Police Department said. The suspect was allegedly using a meth pipe in the subway station.

Officers took the man off the train, but he immediately became violent and attempted to bite several of the officers, authorities said.

In the midst of the struggle, the suspect bit off a chunk of a police sergeant’s pinky finger, according to officials.

The sergeant, who has 26 years on the job, was rushed to a nearby hospital, but medical staff could not reattach the tip of his finger, KTLA reported.

The suspect, who has not been identified, was also hurt during the struggle and was taken to a hospital, officials said. He was later booked for mayhem and resisting an executive order.

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In a statement from LAPD Chief Michel Moore, he said, “I’m deeply disturbed by the vicious and gruesome attack on our sergeant as he and other officers were simply conducting routine patrol of the transit line.”

LAPD officials added, “We take this matter extremely seriously and have zero tolerance for violent acts on the Metro System.”