Police dog shot with bow and arrow
Pine Bluff, AR (US)Date: Oct 11, 2005
Disposition: Open
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
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Jefferson County sheriff�s deputies have launched an investigation into the shooting of a K-9 member of the department on October 11.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Gerald Robinson said Deputy David Wheeler returned to his home in Jefferson County at about 1:30 p.m. and found Sgt. Duak, one of department�s two drug dogs, had been shot. The animal was taken to Hunter�s Animal Hospital at White Hall and was undergoing surgery.
�We rushed him here to get medical attention, and right now we don�t know what kind of condition he�s in,� Robinson said.
Under Arkansas law, the killing or injuring of animals used by law enforcement or search and rescue dogs is a Class D felony, and any person or persons convicted is also required to make restitution to the agency or owner of the dog.
�It�s just like shooting a deputy or police officer,� Robinson said.
Sheriff Boe Fontaine said early indications were that the wound to Duak came from apparently an arrow.
�Right now, we�re not sure what�s going to happen,� Fontaine said. �We�re not sure if we�re going to be able to get the dog back for duty or not.
�Not only is there a monetary loss that we have to deal with, but also Deputy Wheeler�s grief,� he said. �There�s a bond between the dog and Wheeler, who was not only his partner but was a member of his family. He�s pretty upset.�
Fontaine said the department paid $8,000 for Duak, who has been working with Wheeler less than a year.
�Including the training costs, we had about $10,500 in him, and I�m sure the medical bills are going to be astronomical,� Fontaine said.
He said an investigation into the shooting is ongoing and anyone with information about the incident should contact the Criminal Investigation Division at 541-5496 or the administrative office at 541-5351.
�We hope to find the guy or guys responsible for this and bring them to justice,� Fontaine said. References« Back to Search Results Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges. For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.
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