CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA: Yoda, a four-year-old police dog, has been hailed as a "hero" for capturing escaped murderer, Danelo Cavalcante, after nearly a two-week-long extensive manhunt.
The K-9 was from among one of two tactical teams that cornered Cavalcante in the woods near South Coventry Township at around 8 am on Wednesday, September 13.
Yoda is reportedly a Belgian malinois that serves with the US Border Patrol's BORTAC K9 unit, which was called in to aid with the manhunt.
Pennsylvania State Police's Lt Colonel George Bivens praised Yoda, saying he was a significant force in the takedown as he stopped Cavalcante from using a stolen rifle that lay within arms reach.
“He was just essential as far as the tracking and searching, as were numerous other K-9s that were here,” Robert Clark, supervisory deputy US Marshal for Pennsylvania’s eastern district, told CNN on Wednesday.
“All these K-9 resources were utilized by different tactical teams from the area, and they were just incredible resources,” he continued.
How did Yoda help in capturing Danelo Cavalcante?
Cavalcante, 34, clambered up a wall and escaped from Chester County Prison on August 31, just days after he was sentenced to life in prison for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend, Deborah Brandao.
Cavalcante’s escape sparked a massive search across southeastern Pennsylvania, with schools canceling classes and more than 400 hundred police officers searching for the escaped convict.
After a 13-day-long search, police finally found him hiding in or near a large pile of logs behind a John Deere store in South Coventry Township.
An aircraft picked up its heat source on Tuesday night, September 12, but officials had to delay the operation due to a storm.
On Wednesday morning, officers found the fugitive sleeping on top of a rifle he had stolen from a nearby resident.
As investigators moved closer to Cavalcante, he noticed their presence and tried to flee by crawling through the thick underbrush with the rifle in hand.
This was the moment when the tactical teams decided to deploy Yoda, who first lunged at Cavalcante’s forehead and then latched onto his thigh.
Yoda’s attacks left Cavalcante with wound on his scalp.
Yoda hailed hero for capturing Danelo Cavalcante
After biting Cavalcante’s scalp, Yoda bit him again in the “lower extremity area” to keep him down.
“When the dog got to him, he then went flat with the dog on him – the dog was able to detain him there,” Bivens said, adding, “I was told the rifle was within arm’s length.”
Cavalcante then “continued to resist” and was “forcibly taken into custody” by the officers, Bivens said.
“Far better that we’re able to release a patrol dog like this and have them subdue the individual than have to use lethal force,” the colonel added.
After his capture, Cavalcante was taken to a nearby state police barracks in an armored vehicle.
Bevin noted that additional charges on top of his murder conviction for killing his ex-girlfriend were now pending with the District Attorney’s Office.
Yoda’s bravery has garnered immense social media attention, with many users hailing him a hero.
“He looks like he has a great amount of Wolfiness! Bravo, Yoda!!” a user said while another wrote, “Yoda is the bestest boi.”
“Yoda deserves all the hugs and kisses and treats he can get!!!!! What a hero. Of course, his human team are also a hero as well. Thanks to all the law enforcement folks,” a third user praised.
“Heroes come in all shapes and sizes !!” a fourth user gushed. “Good dog and he knows it. Doing what he was well-trained to do,” one more user said.
