Man accused of biting police officer at bar in Pittsburgh’s North Shore

PITTSBURGH — A man is accused of biting a police officer at a bar in Pittsburgh’s North Shore.

Court documents say police officers were contacted by security at Tequila Cowboy on Sunday at 1:25 a.m. for assistance with an intoxicated man who was being disorderly.

Police identified that man as Almir Lopes De Barros, 39, of Pittsburgh.

Officers said, when they arrived, Barros was speaking English and was able to understand them well and respond in English. They told him multiple times that he needed to leave the bar and he told them “no.” After several similar exchanges, an officer put Barros in a “come along” hold and escorted him outside of the bar, but still onto Tequila Cowboy property.

Once outside the bar, officers said they told Barros he needed to leave. He began speaking to them in Spanish and a bar manager came outside to translate. Police said Barros confirmed he could understand the manager. An officer then used Google Translate and the manager to tell Barros that he needed to leave or he would be arrested. Court documents say that Barros confirmed that he understood that and still refused to leave.

In response, officers began trying to put Barros in handcuffs. Police say he resisted the entire time and a struggle resulted in multiple officers trying to take him into custody on the ground.

An officer reported that in this scuffle, Barros bit his left calf so hard that it broke the skin and caused bleeding. When the officer punched Barros in the face, police say he broke the bite off, but immediately tried to do it again. He was unsuccessful the second time.

Once Barros was handcuffed, police said they held him on the ground while waiting for a vehicle to arrive to take him to jail. They monitored his breathing as this was happening.

When a vehicle arrived, police say Barros kicked an officer in the thigh while they tried to move him to it.

Barros sustained minor abrasions to his right temple and forehead, police say.

Court documents say Barros was received at the Allegheny County Jail and intake staff had no incident with him.

Barros faces two counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, defiant trespassing, disorderly conduct and public drunkeness.

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