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SOUTH BEND — It wasn't a fleeing suspect who attacked four police officers sent to investigate a burglary report at a garbage-filled vacant house — it was a swarm of fleas.
The bug barrage was so overwhelming that the patrolmen had to be decontaminated.
"They were all over the place — in our socks and even in our shorts. It was disgusting," said Cpl. Ken Stuart.
A van took the officers back to their station, where they showered with flea and lice shampoo and soap. The wife of one of the officers brought them a change of clothing.
"The guys were very angry. The last thing they wanted to deal with was fleas," Sgt. Chuck Stokes said of the officers' Oct. 14 ordeal. "That killed the whole shift."
Stokes said the tenants of the house had recently been evicted, but were keeping a dog in the backyard and allowing it to run around inside the garbage-filled house.
