Police dog shot!

and people still think humans are smarter? thank God the GSD survived!!!

The whole thing sounds like an episode from The Three Stooges! Glad to hear Darko's inury wasn't fatal and that he is recovering.

It's easy to second guess the actions of those there to protect and serve who put their lives on the line from the comfort of your chair, but to actually be on the job where at any moment your life could come to a violent end is another thing entirely. Certainly adrenaline was flowing, nerves at high edge, and please notice the time, it was 3:00 am. There isn't enough information to know how much light was available to the officer who fired his weapon but I would guess not much. That and Darko did approach him aggressively. Was this terribly unfortunate? Yes of course. Could it have been prevented? Well, we still don't know how Darko escaped from his cruiser but I'd say that if any fault is to be found that that would also play a part in it. I won't fault his handler either though. Apprehending a fleeing criminal is intense danderous work and I'm sure the handler had little time to tend to putting Darko in the cruiser. To my mind this is just part and parcel in what is a very difficult and potentially fatal job far too many people take for granted and worse, decide without much knowledge of the job that they are qualified to judge those who are risking their lives in the line of duty.

I too am glad Darko, and the police officers there are recovering.

Hard to past judgement on something like this, unless you have been involved in a criminal take-down, where things can go wrong in a hurry.

I'm sure all officers involved feel terrible, the k9 is a brother to them.

My DH has been involved in a criminal take-down - which is what led to him being declared permanently disabled and almost losing his leg.

I didn't mean to imply that the officers are equal to the Three Stooges - just that the story was written sounded like one mistake leading to another, to another, etc. I have the utmost respect for police officers and the work they do!