Suspect killed, K9 officer fatally stabbed in Pennsylvania
WILKINSBURG, Penn. -- A person was shot and killed, and a K9 officer was stabbed and killed in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, reported CBS Pittsburgh.
Port Authority Police said it began when Bruce Kelly Jr. and his father, Bruce Kelly Sr., got into a fight around 3:30 p.m.
They escaped officers once, and eventually Port Authority Police caught up with them, reported CBS Pittsburgh.
Police said Bruce Kelly Jr. refused orders and when using a stun gun didn't work, they released K9 Officer Aren in an effort to capture Kelly.
"At the time they released the dog on him, he had a knife and he stabbed the dog and the dog went down. Then officers shot and killed the man," said Supt. Charlie Moffat with County Police to CBS Pittsburgh.
The dog was rushed to a nearby veterinary hospital with multiple stab wounds. County police said the dog died after being transported.
Police do not yet know how many times Aren was stabbed or how many times Kelly was shot.
The Pittsburgh Police K9 Unit Facebook page identified the dog as K9 Aren.
"We are sorry to report that K9 Aren from the Port Authority Police Department has succumbed to his injuries that he received while performing his duty," the K9 Unit wrote in another post. "Our thoughts and prayers are with K9 Aren's partner Port Authority Police Officer Brian O'Malley and the entire Port Authority Police Department."
RIP Aren..
Posted by Pittsburgh Police K9 Unit on Sunday, January 31, 2016
Aren was a four year veteran of the Port Authority Police force. He was not wearing a protective vest.
One witness told CBS Pittsburgh that she heard what happened between the suspect and police.
"First they pulled out the taser, and they used the taser on him, and I heard someone say 'you don't have to kill him, you don't have to kill him,' then the shots happened and I think it was like six or seven," the woman said.
"It's a horrible thing. He's a member of that officer's family. He's a member of the law enforcement family," said Chief Matt Porter with Port Authority Police.
Bruce Kelly Sr. was captured, CBS Pittsburgh reported. It is not clear if he will face charges.
Nearly two years ago, a K9 officer named Rocco died after being stabbed in Lawrenceville. The day before Aren was killed, Pittsburgh Police K9 Unit had honored Rocco on Facebook.