Died 10/5/18
Handler – Officer Michael Bucher
Texas K9 cop attacks handler, shot dead by officer in Waco
Police officers in Texas had a double dose of Friday drama when they arrived at a home to serve a search warrant and their accompanying K9 dog attacked a cop instead of the perp! According to local authorities, the dog inexplicably turned on its handler, biting him in the groin area, close to the femoral artery. Earlier reports claimed the injury was to the hand. Another cop then shot the dog to save the man. “At that point, another officer on scene was forced to put down the canine to save the officer,” said Waco police spokesman Garen Bynum. The injured cop was transported to a nearby medical center. Bynum said the officer, who was not identified, “was expected to be OK,” before adding no further details would be publicized until Oct. 8. Several hours after the dog, a Belgian Malinois, was killed, a Waco SWAT squad stormed the home. But the suspect the team was seeking was not in the residence. Numerous streets in the residential neighborhood were cordoned off, and neighbors claimed to have heard just the one gunshot — believed to be the canine kill shot. Many cops remained in the neighborhood for several hours as the dog’s carcass remained in the home’s front yard. The name and sex of the canine cop were not disclosed. Belgian Malinoises resemble German Shepherds and can weigh as much as 66 pounds. They’re prized for their alertness, high energy levels and adaptability in learning new tasks.