POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida K-9 has lost his leg after being shot in a confrontation with a suspect, CBS 12 reported.
The incident unfolded on Aug. 6 as deputies attempted to arrest a man who had been preparing for weeks to avoid returning to jail, investigators stated. They located the man after a bondsman spotted his vehicle near a wooded area.
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Deputies arrived on the scene and identified themselves, ordering the man to exit a tent. After several verbal instructions, the man called out that he had a gun and would shoot.
He then fired shots toward the deputies, with one striking K-9 Ace in the left side of his chest. His handler rushed him to an emergency vet. After he stabilized, he was transported by helicopter to a specialized treatment facility.
Sheriff Grady Judd stated that Ace’s injuries were severe and that his left front leg had to be amputated. The sheriff’s office stated that the surgery went well and that Ace was stable.
“Ace is a hero without any doubt at all,” Judd said.
A SWAT team found the suspect dead inside the tent with a bullet wound to the head, CBS 12 reported. In a press conference, Judd did not state whether deputies returned fire or wounded the suspect.
