A K9 officer with the Chilton County Sheriff’s Department is currently recovering after being shot while apprehending a suspect who opened fire during a routine traffic stop.

According to reports, Robert Earl Jackson, 54, was pulled over in Thornsby, Alabama, after he failed to yield, nearly causing a traffic collision. Jackson, who was awaiting trial for drug, firearm, and resisting arrest charges, then immediately fired at the officers “without conversation or warning,” said Chilton County Sherrif John Shearon.

“As officers approached the vehicle, the driver produced a handgun and fired without conversation or warning.”

“The suspect then fled on foot in a construction site on Montgomery Avenue and continued to fire on officers.”

Officers on the scene called for the help of the sheriff’s office Tactical Response Unit and K9 Unit. On the scene, K9 Officer Missile rapidly alerted when he found Jackson hiding behind a tree. In response, Jackson opened fire on K9 Missile, hitting the dog in the chest.

Law enforcement returned fire, ultimately hitting Jackson. A paramedic with the Tactical Response Unit treated Jackson for his wounds immediately. “Unfortunately,” said Shearon, “those lifesaving measures were unsuccessful and the suspect died at the scene.”

According to reports, Jackson had a lengthy criminal history listing arrests for violent crimes, firearms, drugs, felonies, and attempted murder. The Chilton County Sherriff’s Office says it does not believe the shooting broke departmental policy or Alabama law – but the incident will still be investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation and presented before a Chilton County grand jury.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all that’s been affected by this,” Shearon said.

Since the incident, K9 Missile has been receiving veterinary care and is expected to recover. Shearon expressed great admiration for the dog’s bravery, stating: “But for the K9 locating the suspect and drawing fire, deputies would have very likely walked into an ambush where the suspect was hiding behind a tree. The dog took a hit and the vet said another half-inch and the dog would have been killed.

“The dog saved the lives of officers yesterday. There’s no doubt about that.”

News about K9 Missile’s injury spread quickly over social media amongst pages devoted to animal lovers and/or law enforcement. As a result, the Chilton County Sherriff’s Department was flooded with requests to donate money towards vests for its K9 officers. In a Facebook post, the department responded, stating:

“Thank you to everyone that has reached out and asked to help us purchase vests for our K9 partners. This is the official fundraiser for this project. We appreciate the support you have shown us!”

Along with their post, the sheriff’s office added a link to their official GoFundMe page. Within five days of its creation, they have already collected $5,105 – more than a hundred dollars over their original goal.

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Sources: Chilton County Sherriff’s Office – Facebook, GoFundMe, Trussville Tribune, The Clanton Advertiser