Georgia Police Deputy Shoots, Kills K-9 Unit Dog During Chase For Suspect

A Georgia deputy shot and killed a K-9 unit during a chase when the dog mistook a deputy for the suspect being chased.

The shooting occurred Friday when the K-9, named Verro, arrived at a home in Dallas, Georgia, with Cpl. Brandon Kilgore to provide backup for officers responding to a domestic dispute. The suspect was then spotted fleeing the home, prompting a police chase. Kilgore exited the car to join the chase but left Verro in the car.

Kilgore’s reason for this was that the circumstances did not meet “the departmental criteria to deploy the dog.” However, Verro was able to squeeze out of the car from one of the windows after getting out of his kennel.

“As the chaotic scene unfolded, no Deputies were aware K-9 Verro was out of his vehicle,” the Paulding County Sheriff’s Department said on its Facebook page. “Had Corporal Kilgore known K-9 Verro was loose, he would have advised the other Deputies to stop the foot pursuit and taken command of K-9 Verro.”

Verro immediately spotted someone the dog thought was the suspect and immediately began chasing him. In reality, it was one of the deputies chasing after the suspect and was bitten in the leg by Verro. The situation was made worse when Verro would not let go of the deputy.

The deputy also didn’t realize that Verro was a department dog and fired his weapon. Verro was struck and died at the scene. The deputy bitten is also recovering from the bite wound while the suspect was apprehended shortly after.

“Being a former K-9 handler, I know how special the bond is between a handler and his dog,” Sheriff Gary Gulledge told press. “The emotional grief everyone is going through, including the Deputy who was bitten, has been overwhelming.”