A Tennessee police department is mourning the loss of a K-9 officer that died after gunshot wounds when a man opened fire on a patrol car.
On Wednesday, the La Vergne Police Department announced the death of Sjaak (pronounced Jacques) on its Facebook page. Sjaak has been with the department since 2014.
The department said that Sjaak was shot three times on Tuesday when a man opened fire on his handler’s patrol car. The handler, Officer Justin Darby, was not injured in the shooting or subsequent chase.
“Our hearts are broken,” interim La Vergne Police Chief Chip Davis said in a statement. “Our K9s are members of the LPD family. Sjaak was an amazing and loyal dog. We ask everyone to keep Officer Darby, his family, and all of the La Vergne officers in your thoughts and prayers as we deal with this loss.”
Sjaak is the first line of duty death for the department.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident. Darby has just left a police station when a vehicle pulled along the passenger side and the driver fired shots into the patrol car, according to a TBI statement.
Moreover, Officer Darby and other officers pursued the driver, who pulled into a residential complex, exited his vehicle, and began shooting at the officers, who returned fire.
The TBI statement said that the man got back in his vehicle and drove further before striking a parked car and stopping. Officers found the man had suffered a gunshot wound. He was then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Officer Darby realized after the shootout that Sjaak had been wounded three times. The k-9 was taken to a veterinary hospital where he underwent surgery on Wednesday but did not survive.
According to the Census Bureau, La Vergne is a suburb of Nashville with an estimated population of 35,716.
The K-9 was given a funeral procession with a police escort through the city on Thursday before he was taken to Faithful Friends Pet Memorial Services in Nashville for burial with full honors.
In a video taken by WSMV, it showed officers wiping tears from their eyes as Sjaak’s body was placed in a police SUV for the procession.
“A K9 is more than just a dog to our handlers, they’re a partner,” Davis said.
The department said a memorial service for Sjaak is being planned for a later date.