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Died 8/12/15
Handler – Officer Samantha Snowberger
Toledo police K-9 killed; suspect in standoff dead
A Toledo Police K-9 was shot and killed Wednesday after the dog and its partner chased a pair of suspected car thieves into a vacant house in East Toledo. One suspect died and police apprehended the other after the dog was shot. The police officer who handled the K-9, a German shepherd named Falco, is Samantha Snowberger. Late Wednesday night, police officers lined a path leading away from a vacant East Toledo house, hands on hearts, as Falco’s body was wheeled out and taken away with a police escort. The small crowd on the scene remained hushed at the sight, some removing their hats or taking cell phone video. Officer Snowberger placed her hand on the dog’s body as her colleagues embraced her. The incident began when police gave brief chase to what they believed was a stolen car around 5:30 p.m. at Varland Avenue and Woodville Road, police said. The driver and another man ran into a house at 1137 Earl St., where police, including a K-9, followed. The driver shot the police dog and a human officer returned fire, hitting the suspect, before the officer left the house, Toledo Police Chief George Kral said. The incident then became a barricade situation with the suspects inside the home. Police later took one man, the passenger, into custody. The second suspect, whom police said died, remained in a crawl space in the house, late Wednesday night. It was unclear whether the man died from police gunfire or self-inflicted wounds. Authorities would not name the suspects in the case. “We just lost a police officer,” Chief Kral said. “That dog is a police officer. We’re taking it hard, … We have heavy hearts right now.” Officer Snowberger placed her hand on the dog’s body as her colleagues embraced her. The incident began when police gave brief chase to what they believed was a stolen car around 5:30 p.m. at Varland Avenue and Woodville Road, police said. The driver and another man ran into a house at 1137 Earl St., where police, including a K-9, followed. The driver shot the police dog and a human officer returned fire, hitting the suspect, before the officer left the house, Toledo Police Chief George Kral said. The incident then became a barricade situation with the suspects inside the home. Police later took one man, the passenger, into custody. The second suspect, whom police said died, remained in a crawl space in the house, late Wednesday night. It was unclear whether the man died from police gunfire or self-inflicted wounds. Authorities would not name the suspects in the case. “We just lost a police officer,” Chief Kral said. “That dog is a police officer. We’re taking it hard, … We have heavy hearts right now.” Toledo police dispatchers gave a ceremonial last call for the dog over police radio around 9:30 p.m. Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson arrived at the scene several hours after the shooting to show support for officers there, she said. Later she called the dog’s death a “terrible loss.” “This officer gave his life in service to our community,” she said. “Our department is solid and they’re really showing commitment to one another tonight.” The National Sheriff’s Association has written a protocol that departments should follow for burying a K-9. Animals who are killed in the line of duty deserve special honors, the association’s protocol suggests. In all cases, the animal’s handler should be consulted on arrangements. Honors for a dead K-9 should be comparable to those for their human counterparts, the association says. The animal’s funeral may include an honor guard, pall bearers, and 21-gun salutes, the association said. The animals should be cremated or buried to be sure their remains are treated respectfully.
