Police K-9 killed, officer injured during shootout with suspect

ALTON, Ill. (First Alert 4/Gray News) – A police K-9 was killed and the dog’s handler was injured during a Thursday morning shooting in Alton, Illinois.

Illinois State Police said officers and the suspect first exchanged gunshots in the 700 block of East 6th Street at around 6 a.m.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the hospital after being shot.

An officer and an Alton Police Department K-9 were also shot.

The K-9′s handler has since been released from the hospital and is reportedly recovering at home. The K-9 was taken to a veterinary hospital in critical condition, but later died from the injuries.

The city of Alton identified the K-9 as Odin in a Facebook post. Odin joined the Alton Police Department in February and finished K-9 academy training in May.

The dog was 20 months old.

“The loss of Odin is not just a loss of a service animal but of a loyal companion and a trusted team member,” Alton Mayor David Goins said. “My thoughts and prayers are with Officer Averbeck, who was shot, and the entire Alton Police Department and all who are grieving the tragic loss of K-9 Odin.”

Police cars lined the street outside Hawthorne Animal Hospital in Glen Carbon on Thursday morning. At around 11:45 a.m., a flag-draped casket was seen being carried out of the veterinary hospital with officers saluting it.

“K-9 Odin served our community with exceptional bravery, and his sacrifice will always be remembered,” the city wrote on Facebook.

Residents near the corner of Liberty Street and East 7th Street said they heard multiple rounds of gunfire earlier that morning. One neighbor, Leann Swain, said she had police officers in her backyard asking if she saw a man running just before the shots were fired.

“We heard a police officer say, ‘Stop moving or my dog is going to bite you,’” Swain described. “And then it went quiet and then we heard, ‘Shots fired, shots fired.’ Then, there were several more and I jumped up and I grabbed my 5-year-old and I kind of slid him off the bed with me to the floor.”

Another neighbor said he heard police yelling at one point, “Officer down.”

Neighbor Rick Militello said the area of East 6th Street and Liberty Street is usually pretty quiet, so he was shocked to see police all around his home.

“There was just police all over the place,” Militello said. “Looked like they were looking for somebody, going up and down the roads, racing all around. Then I saw firetrucks and ambulances, and I figured something bad was happening.”

Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine released a statement Thursday afternoon regarding the shooting.

“‘Officer Down’ are the two worst words you can hear, but in this case, we are all immensely grateful that this officer somehow avoided serious injury. We are also saddened at the passing of his canine partner, Odin,” Haine wrote. “These K9 units are a true team, and this loss will be a tough one. We pray for the injured officer’s continued health and the health and safety of all of our local law enforcement. This is a reminder that our police officers never know when they will face deadly peril, but they put on the badge every day to protect us all. We thank them for their heroic service. Finally, we’re thankful that the victim in the initial incident was not gravely injured. We will remain in close contact with all investigating agencies throughout their review.”

Mayor Goins has called for unity within Alton.

Police have not yet said what led up to the shooting, nor have they shared any information on the suspect.

The Illinois State Police Department is leading the investigation into the use of force in the incident.

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