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Died – 8/14/18
Handler – Deputy Brad Davis
K-9 Hexa honored before, after euthanized Tuesday
Knox County Deputy Brad Davis walked Hexa, his canine, flanked by two columns of local law enforcement who were saluting Tuesday afternoon. This was the end of the watch for the 4-year-old police dog that had developed leukemia in recent weeks. As Davis neared the door to the Galesburg Animal Hospital, 1525 E. Fremont St., Hexa jumped up one last time to say goodbye to him and others near the door. Minutes later, the county police dog of about two years was euthanized. Six Knox County deputies carried Hexa out underneath an American flag as the two rows of local law enforcement again stood at attention saluting the police dog. From there, a lengthy procession of several area departments went from the animal hospital to Watson-Thomas Legacy Center for Hexa to be cremated. Once there, another salute was done as Hexa was placed, under the same American flag, on a stretcher and rolled into the Legacy Center. The atmosphere was quiet and respectful throughout the roughly hour-long process. Davis thanked everyone who came out; the event was a surprise for Davis organized by local law enforcement to honor Hexa, who was still an active police dog. “They’re every bit a part of the family as any deputy and they deserve the same respect any human part of law enforcement would get … they are also very much a part of the personal family” of their K-9 handler, said Knox County Sheriff Dave Clague. “I think it meant the world to (Davis). I think from the moment he arrived he didn’t know we were going to be there.” Officers and some higher ranking officers from the following police departments participated in Tuesday’s ceremony: Abingdon; East Galesburg; Knoxville; Woodhull; BNSF; Galesburg; and Knox County. Several other police dogs from some of those agencies were also at Tuesday’s event. It is believed one of Hexa’s bigger busts was the discovery of about 31 pounds of cannabis in a vehicle during a traffic stop last summer on Interstate 74 which led to prison time for one of the two charged. Clague said it was expected Davis would keep Hexa’s urn. This now leaves the Knox County Sheriff’s Department with one active K-9 and another police dog in training which will be assigned to Deputy Jack Harlan.
