A police dog in Michigan is recovering after he was stabbed in the head during a hostage situation in which the suspect was shot and killed.
Deebo, a 5-year-old German shepherd who has worked with the Saginaw Police Department since 2016, was part of a group that responded to a domestic disturbance on Sunday that turned out to be a hostage situation, according to MLive.
Soon after arriving, the male hostage was rescued uninjured from the home of a 48-year-old man armed with a knife, who has not been named. In the ensuing altercation, the suspect allegedly stabbed Deebo in the head, prompting officers to fire into the home and fatally wound the man. The incident and the shooting are still under investigation.
Jody Wilk, president of the Saginaw Valley Police Canine Association, said that Deebo is recovering and asked for “prayers and support.”
“We come to spend a lot of time with these dogs, and they’re not just dogs. These dogs go home with their handlers; they become part of the family,” Wilk said.
Deebo is “very active” and has been involved in about seven or eight apprehensions, drug busts, and suspect tracks, according to Wilk.
Saginaw police Chief Bob Ruth said the canine is a popular figure in the city of about 50,000 people.
“Everyone loves him; the citizens love him,” Ruth said on Sunday. “He’s here to protect the officers, and, essentially, that’s what he does. That’s what he was doing this morning.”
The Saginaw Valley Police Canine Association started a fundraiser on Facebook that has raised more than $5,000 for the police dog.
