FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A Fort Lauderdale Police K-9 is recovering at an animal hospital after being shot by a burglary suspect during a police pursuit, authorities said.
Investigators said the incident happened near Northwest 15th Terrace and 16h Court, Saturday night.
Area resident Portia Denkins said she heard five shots from just beyond the fence line.
“I heard a pop, and out of the corner of my eye, like right here, I saw a muzzle flash, and then I heard ‘pop, pop, pop, pop,'” she said.
According to Fort Lauderdale Police, officers were investigating a burglary at the home when the suspect attempted to flee.
“I went in the room, got my mom, made sure she was secure. I didn’t want her to think it was like fireworks or anything,” said Denkins, “and we stayed down until the flashing and the fire, I mean the gunshots, stopped.”
Dozens of police officers and the SWAT team searched for the suspect by ground and by air.
“It’s kind of surprising to me, you know. In this time I’ve been here, like 10 years, I’ve heard nothing like that before,” said area resident Delroy Allen.
Officers were able to corner the perpetrator into a perimeter.
“It was a little alarming, ’cause you don’t know what’s going on,” said Denkins.
Area resident Shannon Grant said the suspect was running along the backyard fence.
I asked them, ‘Was everything OK,’ and stuff like that. That’s when the officer did explain to me that someone did come through our backyard and possibly dropped something,” she said. “When I was walking out there, I thought it was a cat or something like that in the bushes.”
When officers sent their K-9 after the suspect, that’s when, they said, the suspect opened fire, striking the dog.
“It’s unfortunate anytime, you know, an animal is hurt,” said Denkins.
“The dogs are really here to actually protect the community, just like police are,” said Grant.
Police eventually apprehended the suspect with help from a second K-9.
The injured dog was taken to a nearby emergency veterinary hospital and is expected to be OK.
“Getting hurt in the line of duty, that’s not good, you know what I mean? But I found out that he’ll be all right, so that’s a good thing,” said Allen.
Back at the scene, investigators said, they found a gun near a home.
The suspect was taken to Broward Health Medical Center to treat bites from another K-9 at the scene.
Police have not released the suspect’s identity as of Monday morning. 7News has reached out to the department for more information.
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