Police Dog Shot

March 18th, 2009 | by admin |

Webnesday March 18, 2009, a police dog was shot after a routine traffic stop attempt.

Spokane sheriff’s office reports that, an officer attempted to pull 22-year-old male, Johnnie L. Longest over for reckless driving around 10:20pm. Longest sped off in the stolen Honda Civic and lost the officer in a short chase, but he was later seen leaving an alley and the chase resumed.

Longest, high-centered the Honda on a concrete divider near Division and Rich, where he then left the car and fled on foot. The police dog then caught up to Longest who pulled a gun and shot the dog. Longest then turned the gun towards the officer but was to late. The officer shot and wounded him first.

Longest who has a record for vehicle theft as well as drug possession, was conscious and talking as he was rushed to the hospital where he later died Wednesday morning.

Thankfully, the police dog is reported as being in stable condition at a pet emergency clinic.

Update: Wounded Spokane police dog won’t work again

Although the wounded Spokane police dog is expected to recover from his wounds, Var probably won’t work again.

A spokesman for the Spokane County sheriff’s office, Sgt. Dave Reagan, says Var was brought out of retirement to help police and now has bullet fragments in his leg.

The dog also was grazed on the head in the Tuesday night shooting after tracking a reckless driving suspect into a Spokane alley.

The dog’s officer-handler returned fire and killed the suspect, 22-year-old Johnnie Longest. The car he had been driving was stolen.

Var is out of a pet clinic and back home with his handler.