In
Loving Memory of
K-9 ERNY
October 12,
2000
Handler: Deputy Mike Mayne
Escambia County Sheriff's
Department
1700 West Leonard
St.
Pensacola,
FL 32501
(850)
436-9620
Suspect kills
K-9, Injures Handler
On
October 12, 2000 at approximately 0238 hours, deputies responded to the
area of Massachusetts Avenue and Kelly Avenue in reference to an armed
suspicious person call. Deputies made contact with a Yellow Cab driver
who advised that he had picked up a white male subject at the Conoco
station at N. "W" Street and Beverly Parkway. The male pulled a handgun
on the cab driver and made statements he was on a rampage then fled
North into a residential area, Court.
(ESCAMBIA COUNTY,
FLl) - A sheriff's deputy was wounded and his K-9 partner of 16 months
killed in an early morning shoot out with a suspect who was killed after
pulling out a handgun and firing as deputies tried to arrest him, police
said. The incident began at approximately 2:40 AM Thursday when deputies
received a report of a suspicious, armed man in the 600 block of Palm
Court. After a K-9 team was sent to the area, the suspect, Gregory Allen
Kidd, 32, was cornered. As deputies attempted to place him under arrest
Kidd pulled out a handgun and began firing, police said. The identity of
the deputy who shot Kidd has not been released. Deputy 1st Class Mike
Mayne, who did not fire his weapon, received a gunshot wound to the leg
and remains in Baptist Hospital. Mayne's dog, Erny, a three-year-old
German Shepherd was shot and later died in an emergency veterinary
clinic. Autopsies on the suspect and the police dog are being conducted
today. As is standard in shooting incidents, the Florida Department of
Law Enforcement is investigating.
Deputy Mike Mayne
responded with his K-9 Erny. Deputy Mayne began tracking the subject,
with Deputy Kevin Coxwell providing backup during the track. At 0338
hours, Deputy Mayne continued the track and located the individual lying
in tall grass in a fenced lot behind 622 Palm Deputy Mayne and Coxwell
ordered the subject to surrender and show his hands. When the subject
failed to do so, K-9 Erny was deployed followed closely by the officers
who attempted to take the subject into custody. The subject pulled a
handgun and fired on the officers. One round struck Deputy Mayne in the
right lower leg. A second round struck K-9 Erny killing him. Deputy
Coxwell returned fire at the subject with his service Sig Sauer .40
caliber pistol. The suspect was hit and pronounced dead at the scene. A
Deputy Mayne was transported by EMS to Baptist Hospital for treatment of
his gunshot wound. He is in good condition. An autopsy has been
conducted and the identity of the suspect has been made using
fingerprints. He is identified as Gregory Allen Kidd of Pensacola. Kidd
was currently wanted by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for Robbery
with a weapon and Possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. He was
further suspected of having committed other area robberies in recent
weeks. Kidd has an extensive history of violent crime and has been
incarcerated in state prison on several occasions. Deputy Mike Mayne has
been employed by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for eleven years.
He is currently assigned to the Patrol division working out of the
Warrington precinct on midnight shift. K-9 Erny was 3 years old and had
been partnered with Deputy Mayne since May 1999. Deputy Kevin Coxwell
has been employed by the Escambia County Sheriff's Office for two years.
He is currently assigned to the Patrol division working out of the
Warrington precinct on midnight shift. Deputy Coxwell has been placed
on paid administrative leave which is standard sheriff's office policy.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is the lead investigative
agency. The sheriff's office will be conducting a separate but parallel
investigation of the shooting. K-9 Erny is the second patrol to be shot
and killed in the line of duty. In March 1998 K-9 Wolf was shot and
killed as he apprehended a car thief who had fled into a wooded area.
The suspect in that case was arrested as he exited the wood lot when
pursued by the Sheriff's Office SWAT Team.
Incident:
Shooting of Deputy Sheriff
Date
& Time of Occurrence:
October 12, 2000 @ 0338 hours
Address of Occurrence:
600
block of Palm Court, Pensacola
Suspect: Gregory Allen Kidd;
W/M;
32 years old 10000 Chemstrand Road, Pensacola
Victim: Deputy 1st Class Mike Mayne, K-9 Erny
|
Service for Erny
were held Thursday, Nov. 8, 2000 |
|
Memorials
to Fallen K-9s