Moses Lake Police K9 shot in the eye recovering from successful surgery
MOSES LAKE, Wash. — A police K9 that was shot in the eye last week is on the road to recovery, the Moses Lake Police Department says.
Police shot and killed 22-year-old Jose Rivera on Friday when they say he shot K9 Chief in the left eye during a pursuit.
According to the Moses Lake Police Department, body camera footage shows Chief’s handler, Officer Nick Stewart, yelling multiple times for Rivera to “drop the gun” before firing.
The bullet destroyed Chief’s eye and broke his jaw, police said, but did not penetrate his skull. He received surgery at the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine on Tuesday and is expected to return home on Wednesday.
Police said, prior to the surgery to remove his damaged eye, Chief was able to walk and eat. He even got a little fiesty with the other dogs at the veterinary hospital, they said.
The Columbia Basin Investigative Team has since picked up the investigation into the shooting, and is in the process of interviewing the other officers and deputies who were at the scene.
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