By Police1 Staff
HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. — A K-9 is recovering after being stabbed in the abdomen while pursuing a suspect on June 18.
According to local news station WLOX, Loco the K-9 was helping pursue suspect Jeremy Mitchell, 30, who jumped out of a car after a vehicle pursuit and ran into the woods.
After Loco tracked Mitchell down, Mitchell was told multiple times to surrender and warned that they would release the dog if he didn’t, police say. Despite the warnings, Mitchell fled further into the woods and officers released Loco.
Officers quickly lost Loco and Mitchell. Loco’s handler kept calling commands for the canine to return, but the K-9 never appeared.
As police searched for Mitchell and Loco, a citizen in the area found the K-9 with stab wounds in his abdomen. The dog was rushed to a local veterinarian and taken to surgery.
Mitchell was captured and arrested. Three other people in the car Mitchell fled from were also arrested.
Mitchell has been charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, felony eluding, multiple traffic violations, possession of a controlled substance and tampering with evidence.
Loco is expected to make a full recovery.