By Charles Borla
The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson
TUCSON, Ariz. — A Pima County Sheriff’s Department K-9 named Kenzo was stabbed to death Friday night while helping deputies search for two men linked to an armed robbery, officials say.
Deputies were conducting a search related to an armed robbery when they saw a man enter a commercial yard. Kenzo was then released to search the yard, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said Saturday in a news release.
“K9 Kenzo became unresponsive during the search causing deputies to enter the commercial yard ... K9 Kenzo was found unresponsive next to the subject with life-threatening injuries,” the release said.
The wounded dog was rushed to a veterinarian hospital, but it died.
A necropsy is scheduled, but the release said Kenzo “had injuries consistent with a stabbing.”
Two men were arrested.
Cody D. Bartlett, 36, was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery, aggravated robbery and killing/harming a work/service animal, the department said Saturday. Juan Tacho, 32, was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery, aggravated robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
In a separate incident earlier this month, a Tucson Police Department K9 was shot during a police standoff with an armed man at Reid Park.
Raven, a 3-year-old German shepherd, was shot by the man, who faces multiple charges, a recent report says.
Raven continues to recover.
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