Tennessee Man Dies in Custody Days After Police K-9 Bite; State Investigation Underway
A state investigation is underway after 34-year-old Darius Chappell died while in custody four days after he was bitten by a Clarksville Police Department K-9 during his arrest. Chappell was arrested on June 29, 2026, outside a coffee shop on Fort Campbell Boulevard in Clarksville, Tennessee. Video of the arrest, which has circulated widely on social media and in news reports, appears to show Chappell on the ground being restrained by multiple officers when a police K-9 was deployed. The dog remained latched onto Chappell for approximately one minute before the handler physically removed it, according to witness accounts and video reviewed by local media.