ATLANTA — The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that a member of its K-9 Unit died in the line of duty.
Investigators with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on a rape suspect Monday off Kimberly Way in southwest Atlanta.
The sheriff's office said that the K-9 Deputy Sheriff, named Bloo, escaped his partner’s control inside the apartment complex where the search was taking place.
“The K-9 Deputy lost sight of the suspect and came upon a plain-clothes sheriff’s office investigator involved in the pursuit,” said Chief Deputy Randy Akies. “When the K-9 Deputy advanced aggressively, the investigator fired in self-defense and, unfortunately, the K-9 died on the scene as a result of the injuries.”
The sheriff's office made it clear that the investigator was not firing at the suspect - accidentally shooting the K-9.
The suspect, who was not identified, remains at large.