Insane video shows half-naked maniac shooting flamethrower at cops inside California sex shop

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Dramatic police bodycam footage captured the moment a madman armed with a makeshift flamethrower confronted officers inside a California adult shop, leaving three injured and a police dog with burns.

The San Diego Police Department released the video on Thursday, showing multiple angles of the September 16 confrontation that ended with 33-year-old suspect Saul Sandoval Chavez being fatally shot.

The incident unfolded in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood after officers responded to reports of a man allegedly acting violently with a metal rod and attempting to break into vehicles.

Police said the incident began shortly after 9 a.m. near El Cajon Boulevard and Oregon Street, where Chavez was reportedly carrying a torch lighter and an aerosol container.

The footage shows the pursuit moving through the neighborhood, with the suspect allegedly damaging vehicles before taunting officers with his makeshift weapon.

The confrontation continued at the Adult Emporium sex shop, where Chavez ran inside and allegedly turned the weapon on police.

As he made a beeline for a back room, a store employee could be seen fleeing through the main entrance toward officers after being told to “run”.

Officers deployed bean bag rounds inside the business in an attempt to subdue Chavez before sending in police K-9 Ryder to help apprehend him.

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But the suspect allegedly turned the makeshift flamethrower on Ryder, leaving the dog with burns to its face and upper body.

Footage shows an officer moving in before opening fire on Chavez.

One of the shots appears to strike an aerosol canister the man was holding, triggering a fireball as he falls to the ground.

Other officers then rush inside and pull Chavez from the shop, attempting to extinguish the flames. Police can also be seen performing CPR on the suspect.

He was taken to hospital, where he later died. Three officers sustained burn injuries, while Ryder was treated at a veterinary hospital.

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting, with the findings to be reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office. The FBI and US Attorney’s Office will monitor the investigation, while San Diego police conduct separate reviews into the incident and whether department policies were followed.