A cellphone video recorded outside a Memphis apartment complex shows a brief moment that has ignited widespread outrage. A small dog runs into view. A federal officer turns. A boot swings.
The dog cries out and collapses.
The footage, shared widely online, appears to show a U.S. marshal kicking a miniature schnauzer during an arrest conducted by the Memphis Safe Task Force. The dog, later identified as Yoshi, suffered a broken rib and required veterinary care, according to WREG.
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A Dog Runs Into the Arrest Scene
The incident unfolded on February 4 as officers served an arrest warrant at an apartment complex on Raines Road in Memphis. Officers were taking Jaquize Henderson into custody when the dog ran out of an apartment and into the courtyard, WREG reports.
Video shows the dog circling near officers and a leashed law enforcement K-9. One marshal turns toward the animal and kicks it hard, sending the dog sliding across the pavement. Seconds later, a second kick appears to land as officers continue restraining Henderson, according to footage reviewed by TMZ.
The dog yelps and flees the scene.
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Owner Says the Dog Was Not a Threat
Emma Hollingsworth, the dog’s owner, said Yoshi was not acting aggressively. She told Newsweek that the dog ran out of the apartment out of curiosity as officers arrived.
“My dog came out running. He was like, ‘What’s going on?’” Hollingsworth said. “The U.S. Marshal kicked him very hard, forcefully, for no reason.”
After the arrest, Hollingsworth took Yoshi to a veterinarian, where imaging confirmed he had suffered a broken rib. The dog was prescribed medication and sent home to recover, according to WREG.
Federal Officials Defend the Officer
The U.S. Marshals Service acknowledged the video and defended the marshal’s actions. In a statement shared with multiple outlets, including FOX13 Memphis, the agency said the dog “tried repeatedly and aggressively to attack the working K-9.”
According to the statement, officers instructed the dog’s owner to restrain the animal, but the dog remained loose. The agency described the kick as a “last-resort, split-second action” taken to protect the K-9 and secure the scene.
An uncontrolled animal, the statement added, “can hinder official duties and threaten safety,” language echoed in comments provided to TMZ.
MEMPHIS: “Memphis Safe Task Force” (U.S. marshal) caught KICKING A PUPPY 😳 as they arrested a guy for a drug warrant
“He was harmless. There’s no reason he should’ve done that.” @GovBillLee this is what we’re paying $1 Million a day for?🤔
Full: https://t.co/LBWvBRegVv pic.twitter.com/RGNqnR2RyC
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) February 6, 2026
Public Reaction and Unanswered Questions
The video spread rapidly across Facebook and X, drawing tens of thousands of views and prompting public criticism of how law enforcement interacts with animals during arrests, Newsweek reports.
Hollingsworth said her goal in sharing the video was simple: to document what happened. “Power doesn’t excuse abuse,” she told WREG.
No disciplinary action has been announced. The Memphis Safe Task Force has not provided additional comment beyond the federal statement.
For Yoshi, the damage is already done. A broken rib. Weeks of recovery. And a moment of violence now frozen in a video that continues to raise difficult questions about force, judgment, and accountability when animals are caught in the middle.
