Died 12\/23\/24
\nHandler – Officer Alan Ware <\/p>\n
South Carolina K-9 Officer Killed<\/p>\n
South Carolina sheriff emotionally announced the death of one of the department\u2019s K-9 officers on Monday morning (December 23, 2024) \u2013 criticizing the \u201ccatch and release\u201d system of so-called \u201cjustice\u201d responsible for putting the juvenile triggerman back on the streets.Bumi \u2013 a Belgian Malinois who had been with the Richland County Sheriff\u2019s Department (RCSD) for approximately three months \u2013 was fatally shot following a pursuit that began shortly before 2:30 a.m. EST in Columbia, S.C.According to RCSD sheriff Leon Lottt, deputies spotted a reportedly stolen vehicle on Sunday evening (December 22, 2024). Shortly thereafter, they deployed \u2019stop sticks\u2019 to deflate the tires of the vehicle \u2013 which contained three suspects.As police closed in, one suspect remained in the vehicle while two fled the scene. RCSD K-9 officer Alan Ware and Bumi pursued the two fleeing suspects on foot \u2013 with the K9 running ahead of his handler. After hearing a series of gunshots, responding officers found Bumi having been hit three times \u2013 each bullet having bypassed the dog\u2019s bulletproof vest.Bumi was transported to a veterinarian for treatment, but Lott said the bullets were \u201cvery fatal shots.\u201dLott said the 16-year-old suspect arrested at the scene has been charged with obstruction of justice and misprision of a felony.Expressing extreme frustration, Lott noted the suspect had a lengthy criminal history including a recent stay at the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice (SCDJJ). He further noted that at the time of the shooting, SCDJJ had issued a pick-up order for the suspect \u2013 who was wearing an ankle monitor that hadn\u2019t been charged since December 4, 2024.RCSD is currently searching for two additional suspects in connection with the incident \u2013 both of whom Lott described as black men between the ages of sixteen and nineteen years old.\u201cWe\u2019re gonna find them,\u201d Lott said. \u201cSo wherever you\u2019re hiding, you\u2019re not gonna hide far enough that we can\u2019t find you whatever rock you\u2019ve crawled underneath. We\u2019re gonna lift that rock up and we\u2019re gonna get you.\u201dBumi is the third RCSD K-9 officer killed in the line of duty this year. Lott noted the strength of the relationship between the K-9 officers and their handlers.\u201c(Bumi) gave his life to protect his handler,\u201d the sheriff said. \u201cThat deputy is willing to do the same thing to protect his canine. That\u2019s a bond that is hard to imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Died 12\/23\/24 Handler – Officer Alan Ware South Carolina K-9 Officer Killed South Carolina sheriff emotionally announced the death of one of the department\u2019s K-9 officers on Monday morning (December 23, 2024) \u2013 criticizing the \u201ccatch and release\u201d system of so-called \u201cjustice\u201d responsible for putting the juvenile triggerman back on the streets.Bumi \u2013 a Belgian …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17218,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[53],"class_list":["post-17216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-k9memorial","tag-sc"],"yoast_head":"\n