Man jumps out window to escape attacker

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A man who survived a brutal attack during a home invasion robbery last month got to meet the K-9 officer who tracked down the suspect.

Russell Erickson was on life support for days after the attack on Oct. 30. Police said that when they found him, he had jumped through a window and was lying on the driveway, so badly beaten that police thought he had been shot in the head.

“He punched me relentlessly in my face and cut my eye. My eyes were swollen shut,” Erickson told Channel 2’s Liz Artz. “He broke the posts off my four-poster bed and beat me with them. When I got outside, he continued to beat me. I finally passed out.”

Police identified Erickson's attacker as Jaiyeda Jack. DeKalb County detectives said the two knew one another. Erickson told Artz that he helped the teen make a resume and get a job. He said he doesn't know what caused the 19-year-old to turn on him and attempt to rob him of his car.

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“(He had) my house key in one pocket and my car key in the other. (He was) just waiting to get my body out of the way to take the car,” Erickson said.

Erickson was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he spent days on life support. He suffered brain damage, underwent multiple surgeries and continues to deal with swelling to the brain.

“I was so afraid at Grady that he would come back and finish killing me,” he said.

Jack was charged with aggravated assault after being tracked down by Indi, a DeKalb County K-9, who picked up a scent and had the suspect in custody in fewer than five minutes.

“You would think he would get as far away as possible as quick as possible,” Indi’s handler, Officer Norman Larsen, said.

But he said Jack was hiding on a patio a few yards away from the victim’s home.

“When we came across him, it's one of those I'll remember my entire career because the dog did something amazing that day,” Larsen said.

Erickson was so moved by the dog's quick efforts and the 911 call that saved his life that he started a GoFundMe page to show his appreciation.

“My neighbors that called it in, I’m going to get them the nicest meal they've ever had, and the K-9 a year’s worth of dog food,” Erickson said.

Jack’s bond was set at $100,000.

Cox Media Group