‘HEARTBROKEN’

Florida Cops Shoot Dead Suspect Who Killed ‘Fearless’ K-9 Max

The dog was helping officers track down a suspect who had fled a domestic violence incident when he was shot, police said.

A Florida K-9 was killed on Wednesday morning as he protected officers’ lives during a , police said. K-9 Max and his handler, Lake Wales Police Officer Jared Joyner, were helping track down a suspect who had fled an alleged domestic violence incident. According to police, Eric Borders, a convicted felon, “murdered” Max after the dog grabbed him by the ankles. Two officers then shot and killed Borders. Police described Max as “fearless,” saying he joined the force when he was 21 months old. Lake Wales Police Department Chief Chris Velasquez said Max acted exactly as he was trained to, and that his actions saved officers’ lives. The police department held a procession for the dog, led by Joyner. “Officer Joyner lost a part of his family today,” Velasquez said. “He’s heartbroken, and so are we.”