Inset: Kyle Young (Indian River County Sheriff”s Office). Background: The highway where Young was arrested in Vero Beach, Fla. (Google Maps).
A Florida resident has been taken into custody after allegedly attempting to avoid arrest by using bear mace on several sheriff’s deputies, including a K-9 unit, authorities in the state have reported.
Kyle Young, 31, faces charges of resisting an officer without violence and eight counts of battery against a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or EMT, as stated by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident unfolded on November 24 along Old Dixie Highway in Vero Beach, a quaint town nestled in Florida’s Treasure Coast, which spans three southeastern counties.
According to an arrest affidavit report obtained by Law & Crime, the trouble began when a deputy attempted to serve Young with an arrest warrant as he was walking down the road, leading to a rapid escalation of events.
The situation intensified when a deputy, using the public address system of his clearly marked sheriff’s patrol vehicle, instructed Young to stop. Instead of complying, Young reportedly resisted and fled into a nearby wooded area, as detailed in the affidavit.
Subsequently, the deputy who documented the affidavit arrived at the scene.
The author of the charging document explains:
Upon my arrival to the area, contact was attempted with Kyle Young. It should be noted that deputies on scene were wearing Law Enforcement vests which had “SHERIFF” in bold letters on the back, a gold star patch on the front, identifying ourselves as Law Enforcement Officers. Once Kyle was addressed by deputies and ordered to stop, Kyle walked away, resisting lawful commands. Kyle continued to yell at deputies to leave him alone. A short time after initial contact, Kyle pulled out a canister, which was later determined to be bear repellent spray.
Young allegedly “continued to resist by running away from deputies into an open parking lot,” according to the affidavit. Then, as the growing group of deputies made their way toward Young, he “continued to resist” their “commands to get on the ground or to put his hands behind his back,” the affidavit alleges.
Eventually, one of the deputies sent their K-9, Jefe, to try and “gain compliance,” according to the charging document.
That’s when things went south, authorities say.
“Once Jefe made contact with Kyle, Kyle utilized his Bear Spray, propelling chemicals toward Jefe,” the affidavit goes on. “Due to the expelling of chemicals, eight…other deputies, including Jefe, experience[d] chemical irritation to their eyes, skin, and throat.”
In response, the deputy who penned the affidavit said he used his “Conducted Energy Weapon,” a TASER-like device, to “gain compliance,” resulting in the defendant falling to the ground.
“After Kyle fell to the ground, I observed a black firearm with a wooden handle next to his left arm, on the ground,” the affidavit continues. “Once compliance was achieved, the firearm was removed for safety purposes.”
Several deputies at the scene were treated for chemical exposure, authorities say. In the affidavit, the deputy notes that the arrest was captured on body-worn camera footage.
Young was first treated and cleared at a nearby hospital before being taken to the Indian River County Jail, according to the affidavit. He is currently detained on $57,500 bond, according to jail records. The defendant is slated to appear in court for his arraignment on Feb. 20, 2026.
