FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A Fort Lauderdale Police K-9 is recovering at an animal hospital after being shot by a burglary suspect during a police pursuit, authorities said.<\/p>\n
Investigators said the incident happened near Northwest 15th Terrace and 16h Court, Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Area resident Portia Denkins said she heard five shots from just beyond the fence line.<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard a pop, and out of the corner of my eye, like right here, I saw a muzzle flash, and then I heard \u2018pop, pop, pop, pop,’\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
According to Fort Lauderdale Police, officers were investigating a burglary at the home when the suspect attempted to flee.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went in the room, got my mom, made sure she was secure. I didn\u2019t want her to think it was like fireworks or anything,\u201d said Denkins, \u201cand we stayed down until the flashing and the fire, I mean the gunshots, stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dozens of police officers and the SWAT team searched for the suspect by ground and by air.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of surprising to me, you know. In this time I\u2019ve been here, like 10 years, I\u2019ve heard nothing like that before,\u201d said area resident Delroy Allen.<\/p>\n
Officers were able to corner the perpetrator into a perimeter.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a little alarming, \u2019cause you don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on,\u201d said Denkins.<\/p>\n
Area resident Shannon Grant said the suspect was running along the backyard fence.<\/p>\n
I asked them, \u2018Was everything OK,\u2019 and stuff like that. That\u2019s when the officer did explain to me that someone did come through our backyard and possibly dropped something,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen I was walking out there, I thought it was a cat or something like that in the bushes.\u201d<\/p>\n
When officers sent their K-9 after the suspect, that\u2019s when, they said, the suspect opened fire, striking the dog.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate anytime, you know, an animal is hurt,\u201d said Denkins.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe dogs are really here to actually protect the community, just like police are,\u201d said Grant.<\/p>\n
Police eventually apprehended the suspect with help from a second K-9.<\/p>\n
The injured dog was taken to a nearby emergency veterinary hospital and is expected to be OK.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting hurt in the line of duty, that\u2019s not good, you know what I mean? But I found out that he\u2019ll be all right, so that\u2019s a good thing,\u201d said Allen.<\/p>\n
Back at the scene, investigators said, they found a gun near a home.<\/p>\n
The suspect was taken to Broward Health Medical Center to treat bites from another K-9 at the scene.<\/p>\n
Police have not released the suspect\u2019s identity as of Monday morning. 7News has reached out to the department for more information.<\/p>\n
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