A K9 dog is being hailed a hero after he saved the life of his police partner in Mississippi.
Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputy Todd Frazier was beaten and cut with a box cutter in the woods on Monday by three men in an ambush attack.
“They told him they were going to slit his throat, and they were dragging him toward the woods,” Chief Deputy Don Bass told The Clarion-Ledger.
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Fortunately Frazier was able to hit a button that opens his car door, releasing his K9 counterpart, a black Belgian Malinois named Lucas. The dog chased after the three men before the assailants had the opportunity to slit Frazier’s throat, the newspaper reported.
Upon the dog’s return, he was covered in blood. “We don’t know how many he got, we just know he had blood all over him,” Sheriff Ricky Adams told the outlet.
The attack happened after Frazier got out of his vehicle to check out a car located at a rest stop. The driver was alone and the lights were off. The driver got out and that was when two other people came out of the woods and attacked Frazier. The deputy was taken to Hancock Medical Center where he was treated. The dog was not severely injured.
“While Canine Lucas suffered a torn ligament, some broken teeth and road rash, we are happy to report that though he is still recovering, he is expected to be fine,” the department wrote on its Facebook page.
The department is unsure of the cause of the attack but it may be related to threats by gang members to go after officers, Adam told the outlet, “but at this point in time I don’t care. This kind of attitude has been prevailing in Washington for the last six years and now it’s coming home to roost and we’re the targets.”
There is a manhunt underway for the three suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department at 228-255-9191.
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Image via Todd Frazier
