Four-legged hero attends DeKalb officer’s funeral
A bullet to the face cost the K9 cop his right eye, but his gait remained resolute as he fulfilled a solemn obligation.
In a crowd that included Georgia's next governor, a U.S. congressman and hundreds of law enforcement officers, the four-legged hero stood out, led by his handler to the casket of slain officer Edgar Flores to pay his final respects.
Indi, 7, and Flores will forever be connected because of what happened last Thursday in south DeKalb County. Brandon Taylor, 33, shot and killed Flores after a traffic stop, according to the GBI. The suspect fled on foot, hiding in a pile of tires about one block away.
He didn’t stay hidden for long. Indi immediately tracked him down. Taylor shot at the dog, alerting three DeKalb SWAT officers to his whereabouts. They returned fire, killing Taylor.
Indi is expected to make a full recovery, said DeKalb Police Chief James Conroy, though his future as a K9 cop is uncertain. He’s been with the force for five years, once helping catch a suspect in a brutal home invasion.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
