Watch Wounded Wis. K-9 Receive Hero's Welcome on Return Home

Oct. 25, 2021
Riggs, a Kenosha County Sheriff's Office K-9, was shot in the head last week while chasing a man suspected of murder in Chicago.

A Wisconsin K-9 was greeted by hundreds of people when the dog returned home Saturday after being shot and wounded by a murder suspect last week.

The incident happened Thursday when Kenosha County sheriff's deputies responded to a gas station in Bristol to look for a stolen car driven man accused of murder in Chicago, WTMJ-TV reports. When deputies caught up with the suspect, he tried to escape.

Riggs, a K-9 with the sheriff's office, ran down the suspect and knocked him to the ground. That's when the suspect pulled out a gun and shot the dog in the head before the man was shot by deputies.

Luckily, the bullet didn't fracture Riggs' skull or hit any vital areas after it entered the top of his head before exiting out the back. The suspect was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

"It is a miracle, it's a great miracle," Deputy Terry Tifft, the dog's handler, told WTMJ.

The welcome home for Riggs was held at a park in Kenosha. Residents moved by the dog's bravery attended to thank him for his service.

"He's family," Tifft said. "He's always been (family). And you can see he's a sweet dog. And he did his job and he saved my life."

Over the following months, Riggs will be medically evaluated to see if he's still able to serve with the sheriff's office. At 8 years old, Riggs is an older dog, but he could still continue working with the agency before retiring.

Injuring a K-9 is a felony offense and carries up to 3.5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

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