By Thaddeus Miller
The Fresno Bee
FRESNO, Calif. — A Fresno police officer had to shoot a K-9 officer to death as it was attacking him on the canine’s way to be euthanized, a news release said Tuesday.
The 4-year-old Belgian Malinois named “Odin” had worked for the Fresno Police Department for about three years and was considered a trusted K-9 unit partner until attacking his partner unexpectedly in October, police said in the news release.
Odin seriously injured his partner, who had to be hospitalized after the incident, police said.
Odin was taken out of service while being assessed for suddenly erratic behavior, police said. A veterinarian who examined the K-9 said he may have suffered from a neurological issue that had suddenly made him aggressive, police said.
Authorities decided, after months of evaluations, Odin needed to be euthanized for the safety of officers and the public, the news release said.
Multiple members of the K-9 unit gathered to take Odin to be euthanized Tuesday morning, the release said. Even after being given sedatives, Odin attacked an officer and latched onto his arm.
The officer, who had been caring for the dog, determined he could not get Odin to release the bite and used his service weapon to kill Odin instantly, the release said.
“Members of the Fresno Police Department are truly saddened with this incident, and we will be forever grateful for his years of service to our community,” the release said.
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