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Handler – Officer Matt McKinney
Standoff ends, man in custody, police dog killed
A standoff that began Friday night ended more than 24 hours later with the man who had barricaded himself inside his home taken into custody. He faces several felony charges, including shooting and killing a police K-9. The 59-year-old man, identified as Mark LaRue, surrendered around 6:45 p.m. Saturday. He had refused to come out of his residence at North 83rd Street and Keystone Drive since authorities tried to serve a warrant around 5:30 p.m. Friday forcing him to enter a mental health facility. LaRue’s wife and two children, who were able to leave the house Friday night, told police there were several guns inside. Officers from OPD including the Bomb Squad and SWAT team, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department and Nebraska State Patrol surrounded the home, trying to get LaRue to come out. He refused to talk to authorities and ignored commands throughout the night and into Saturday. A robot was sent into the house to survey the situation and became stuck. When deputies entered to try and retrieve the robot, LaRue allegedly fired several shots at them. No one was injured. Early Saturday morning, tear gas was fired into the house, but apparently had no effect on LaRue. At 4 p.m., “distraction devices” were fired into the house and the police dog named “Kobus” was sent inside. The K-9 was allegedly shot and killed by LaRue. Power and gas to the house were turned off and water was shot into the house. Police say LaRue, tired, cold and wet, surrendered at 6:45 p.m. He was taken into custody for a mental evaluation and faces several felony charges.
