Gunman Shot After Fatally Wounding K9

San Diego Police Department mourns Sir
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 3, 2023 4:26 AM CDT
Gunman Shot After Killing San Diego Police Dog
"We are genuinely touched by the outpouring of support and condolences we've received," police said. "Together, we will remember K9 Sir, celebrate his life, and honor his heroic service."   (San Diego Police Department/Facebook)

San Diego police shot and killed a gunman on a community college campus Wednesday after he fatally wounded a police dog, authorities said. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital after the confrontation at San Diego Mesa College, police said. His name wasn't immediately released. Police were investigating a report that the driver of a white Tesla had shot at another driver at around 1:30am, sheriff's homicide Lt. Joseph Jarjura said. "We are still trying to figure it out, but we believe that it started on the roadways. One vehicle, possibly trying to pass the other vehicle or some type of incident," Jarjura said. The gunman then followed the other motorist into a residential neighborhood, Jarjura said.

Officers spotted the Tesla but the driver refused to pull over, drove onto a campus parking lot, and abandoned the car, Jarjura said. Officers then saw the man nearby and released a police dog when he refused to drop his gun, Jarjura said. The gunman fired a shot and an officer then shot him, police said. The dog, named Sir, was wounded and pronounced dead at a veterinary hospital, the AP reports. Sir was a 4½-year-old Belgian Malinois who had been with the San Diego Police Department since March 2022, authorities said. "Rest Easy, K9 Sir, ID C-1298," the department said in a Facebook post. "As you chase endless Kong toys in doggy heaven, know that your legacy is forever etched in our hearts."

(More San Diego stories.)

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