Washington police K9 “Chief” is identified as dog shot in the head by fleeing suspect
When on a call, a handler usually deploys their K9 unit when a suspect flees. This can be dangerous for the dog, as the K9 is usually alone with the suspect until the other officers can catch up. In some cases, this has even led to the death of the K9 when the suspect they were trying to apprehend ended up being armed.
Chief was shot in the head
A K9 named Chief came away with his life in a recent incident when the suspect he was chasing pulled a gun and shot him. Unfortunately, Chief was shot in the head and had to undergo emergency surgery. The Moses Lake Police Department in Washington reported on the shooting on their Facebook page.
According to department officials, Chief was in pursuit of a fleeing suspect, Jose Rivera, after he fled the scene of a car chase. As Chief and his handler, Officer Nick Stewart, pursued Rivera, the suspect pulled a gun. In a press conference about the shooting, Police Chief Kevin Fuhr stated that bodycam footage showed the events leading up to the shooting:
“In the video, you can hear officer Stewart yell multiple times for Rivera to ‘drop the gun,’” Fuhr said in the briefing. “Within a few seconds, you hear multiple gunshots and can see Chief on the ground bleeding from his face. Rivera is also seen in the video laying on the ground, unresponsive, with a handgun lying next to him.”
Officer Stewart returned fire, killing the suspect
Officer Stewart had returned fire and struck Rivera, ultimately killing him. The incident is being investigated and Officer Stewart has been placed on paid administrative leave. A five-year veteran, Stewart stayed with Chief while he was receiving treatment at the Washington State University Veterinary Hospital in Pullman, Washington.
Chief was the first K9 the department purchased
Chief, a member of the department’s K9 unit since 2018, was the first K9 the department bought, funded through donations raised by the public and private businesses. Following the shooting, Chief received a complete CT scan which gave a positive forecast for his recovery, but, at first, things were not so cut and dry.
When Chief arrived at the hospital, he had a very low heart rate. Added to that the fact was swelling in his mouth that kept him from breathing properly – and so it was understandable that things were a bit dicey for a while, according to Emilia Terradas, who is a resident at the hospital.
“We weren’t sure if he was going to make it,” Terradas said. “I was very worried about him.”
In addition to the loss of his eye, Chief also had a small fracture in his jaw. Another good sign that Chief was feeling better was when he ate something for the first time a few days after being shot. As to whether he will continue to serve on the force, that is still to be determined.
Chief was discharged and will recover at home
After he was released later in the week, Chief received a police procession to his home where he lives with Officer Stewart. He also has to wear a cone and a protective patch until he has healed from his injuries. Check out this video of when Chief first came to the Moses Lake Police Department.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.