Police: K-9 officer dies after being stabbed several times

Oklahoma City police are mourning one of their own.A K-9 officer stabbed during a chase with a suspect has died.Police said Kye, a 3-year-old Belgian German shepherd, died of cardiac arrest Monday afternoon. He was stabbed several times Sunday night.Kye's handler, Sgt. Ryan Stark, shot and killed the suspect after attempting to separate the two.According to investigators, the suspect led police and troopers on a half-hour chase.It began near Tinker Air Force Base and ended on Interstate 35 at the Goldsby exit after troopers rammed the suspect's car off the road into a ditch. Police say the suspect bailed out, ran about a quarter of a mile and hid behind a business.Officers released the K-9 dog to go after him. When Stark caught up “the suspect was actively stabbing the dog,” said Capt. Dexter Nelson, with the Oklahoma City Police Department."The dog is an officer; he's considered that officer's partner. They train together, they work together. So when a dog gets injured, it's like an officer getting injured," said Nelson.Police say they were involved in another chase near Bricktown an hour earlier Sunday night, and it might have been the same suspect. Detectives aren't sure yet.Police say the officer who shot and killed the suspect has been placed on routine, paid administrative leave.The identity of the suspect has not been released pending next-of- kin notification.

Oklahoma City police are mourning one of their own.

A K-9 officer stabbed during a chase with a suspect has died.

Police said Kye, a 3-year-old Belgian German shepherd, died of cardiac arrest Monday afternoon. He was stabbed several times Sunday night.

Kye's handler, Sgt. Ryan Stark, shot and killed the suspect after attempting to separate the two.

According to investigators, the suspect led police and troopers on a half-hour chase.

It began near Tinker Air Force Base and ended on Interstate 35 at the Goldsby exit after troopers rammed the suspect's car off the road into a ditch. Police say the suspect bailed out, ran about a quarter of a mile and hid behind a business.

Officers released the K-9 dog to go after him. When Stark caught up “the suspect was actively stabbing the dog,” said Capt. Dexter Nelson, with the Oklahoma City Police Department.

"The dog is an officer; he's considered that officer's partner. They train together, they work together. So when a dog gets injured, it's like an officer getting injured," said Nelson.

Police say they were involved in another chase near Bricktown an hour earlier Sunday night, and it might have been the same suspect. Detectives aren't sure yet.

Police say the officer who shot and killed the suspect has been placed on routine, paid administrative leave.

The identity of the suspect has not been released pending next-of- kin notification.