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Arizona deputy marshal kills K-9 partner
The Cochise County Sheriffs Office says Deputy Marshal John Coby was working the night shift at the Tombstone Marshals Office when a K-9 named Hawk latched onto his leg and wouldn't let go. Coby could not get the dog to stop biting him, so he shot Hawk. Coby was airlifted to a Tucson hospital for serious leg and ankle injuries.
TOMBSTONE, Ariz. - A southern Arizona deputy marshal is on medical leave after authorities say he shot and killed his K-9 after the dog attacked him.
The incident happened on Nov. 19 at the Tombstone Marshal's Office.
The Cochise County Sheriff's Office says Deputy Marshal John Coby was working with his K-9 partner, Hawk, when the dog latched onto his leg and would not let go.
"Deputy Marshal Coby was able to get into the bathroom and partially close the door in an effort to get the K-9 to unlatch from the bite," CCSO wrote on Facebook.
Hawk would still not let go of Coby's leg, forcing the deputy marshal to shoot him.
When other deputies got to the scene, they found Coby in the bathroom and Hawk dead outside the door.
Coby was airlifted to a Tucson hospital with serious leg and ankle injuries. He has since been released.
Coby is on off-duty medical leave during the investigation.
"We value our K-9 program and handlers," Marshal Jim Adams said. "And we are confident a thorough and objective evaluation of this unfortunate incident will be completed by the Sheriff’s Office."