THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 31, 1997 TAG: 9701310552
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CINDY CLAYTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 76 lines
A police officer shot and killed a burglary suspect Thursday morning after the man killed a K-9 dog who was chasing him.
The 23-year-old suspect, whose relatives had not been notified Thursday, was not identified; neither was the police officer.
Police received dozens of condolence calls Thursday for Iron, a 6-year-old Belgian malinois. They plan a funeral for the dog next week, complete with full police honors.
``The dog is the first line of defense for an officer,'' said police spokesman Larry Hill. ``The dog did his job. In this case, the suspect's intent was to take out the first immediate threat . . . which was the dog . .
Police said the chase began just after midnight when Iron and the officer answered the call for a burglary at a townhouse in the 7200 block of N. Rosemont Drive.
When they arrived, the pair ran around to the back of the townhouse toward a field behind the Oakmont North apartments, located between Chesapeake Boulevard and North Military Highway. When they saw the suspect running, the dog chased him.
As Iron prepared to attack, the man turned and shot him several times. The officer then shot the man, who continued running for about 200 yards before collapsing near a fence.
``When I looked out the window after the gunshots, the police were on the scene,'' said Cassandra Robinson, an apartment resident. Robinson said her sister told her that she heard yelling before the shots rang out.
The suspect and the dog both died at the scene.
Police on Thursday were searching for a second suspect who had fled and was armed with a handgun.
The officer who shot the suspect was placed on administrative duty pending an investigation by Internal Affairs, Hill said.
The bodies of the suspect and the dog were taken to the state medical examiner's office for autopsies.
Police dogs are considered to be officers, Hill said. Shooting, stabbing, injuring or killing a police animal is a class 5 felony, carrying a penalty of 10 years in prison or a $2,500 fine.
Iron was donated to the Norfolk K-9 unit by police in Elizabeth City about three years ago. Hill said Iron caught several burglary and auto theft suspects.
Kevin Kelleher, who is in charge of K-9 training for the Norfolk unit, said officers sympathized with the officer and shared in his grief.
``He gave the ultimate sacrifice,'' Kelleher said of the dog.
Kelleher, a member of the K-9 unit for about 12 years, said that as far as he knows, Iron is the first Norfolk police dog to be killed by a suspect.
Kelleher said the officers and the dogs in the unit form a close bond almost like a human partnership. They go through 12-week training courses together.
The department has 18 dogs. Two are Labrador retrievers assigned to the narcotics unit. The other 16 are German shepherds and Belgian malinois trained in apprehension, searching, tracking and other police functions.
Kelleher said Iron's conduct Thursday was that of a partner performing his job.
``That's why we have the dogs out there,'' he said, ``. . . to do the job and to make sure the officer goes home to his family.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by John C. Bell
The body of Iron, the police dog, lies covered as officers look over
the scene near Chesapeake Boulevard and North Military Highway.
Police spokesman Larry Hill said: ``The suspect's intent was to take
out the first immediate threat . . . which was the dog . . . which
in turn probably saved the life of the officer.''
Graphic
Donations can be sent to: Animal Management Center, in honor of
Iron, at 5585 Sabre Road, Norfolk, Va. 23502
KEYWORDS: NORFOLK POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICE DOG K-9 CORPS
SHOOTING BURGLARY FATALITY DEATH