A beloved police dog was killed Friday in a tragic accident when it was mistakenly shot by a Paulding County deputy during a chaotic chase.
Verro, an 8-year-old male belgian malinois, got out of a patrol car around noon Friday without being released to assist his handler, Cpl. Brandon Kilgore. Deputies were in pursuit of a man who fled the scene of an alleged domestic dispute in the Saddlebrook Farms subdivision in Dallas, Paulding sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Ashley Henson said.
When the K-9 saw someone running away from him, he was unable to differentiate between a deputy and the suspect and attacked the deputy. Unable to remove the dog from his leg after being bitten, the deputy followed his official training, drew his weapon and killed Verro, Henson said.
“Being a former K-9 handler, I know how special the bond is between a handler and his dog,” Sheriff Gary Gulledge said. “The emotional grief everyone is going through, including the deputy who was bitten, has been overwhelming.”
The deputy was following standard practice by not releasing Verro and leaving his window partially open, Henson said. Verro was able to sneak out of the vehicle through an open kennel door.
Paulding deputies were unaware the dog was out of the car and didn’t identify him until after he was shot. He died at the scene.
The suspect was taken into custody by other deputies in the area, authorities said.
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