An Arlington police dog died Tuesday after apparently becoming overheated while searching for a wanted fugitive.[[387510141,R]]
Arlington police said officers tried to pull over Shune Deon Arnold, a 17-year-old wanted in connection with the shooting of a man on June 12. Officers tried to stop Arnold on the 1700 block of Grey Willow Lane but he instead led police on a short chase before bailing out of his vehicle on the 7100 block of Chambers Creek Court.
While the wanted man hid, a perimeter was established and a nearby high school was locked down. Meanwhile, police called in a K9 team to assist in the search.
Mojo, a Belgian malinois, and his partner Ramsour began searching for the wanted man at about 10 a.m. By 11:15 a.m. the Ramsour noticed Mojo appeared to be overheating and was asking for water.
Water was provided and Mojo was taken to an area veterinarian for treatment. Police later said Mojo died at about 2:30 p.m.
The wanted man, meanwhile, was appreheneded at about 4:30 p.m. after a 911 caller reported seeing him in the area.
Arlington police said Mojo was born in Holland and has been with the department since June 2010. K9 Handler Ramsour, a 23-year veteran, has served on the department’s K9 team since 1997 and had a total of three police service dogs during his tenure. His two previous dogs retired honorably and Mojo had been his partner for the past six years.
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Police K9 teams are loyal companions and partners and provide a valuable service to the citizens of Arlington. Mojo has been credited with many felony apprehensions and searches for dangerous criminals.
“Today we experienced a significant loss to our APD team. Mojo was an exceptional K9 partner, friend, and served the citizens of Arlington honorably,” said Assistant Police Chief Kevin Kolbye. The department appreciates the words of encouragement and prayers. This is the first K9 death during a duty assignment in Arlington.
During the search for Arnold, nearby Mansfield Timberview High School was placed under a perimeter lock down. Summer school was not in session, but students participating in band practice and other extracurricular activities were on campus.
