Cigo is a member of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s K-9 unit. He is three years old and has been patrolling the streets with his handler, Deputy Ryan Soriano, for more than a year. Both have more than 60 arrests credited to them. He was the pride and joy of his department, until one tragic night when he was fatally shot in the line of duty.
Wanted
One December evening, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office received a tip that two suspects wanted for attempted murder and robbery was going to be at a local mall. The authorities knew that these people were dangerous and they needed to be kept off the streets as soon as possible.
The sheriff assembled an arresting team and made their plan. They would wait in the parking lot for the two suspects to come out and then arrest them. Deputy Ryan was included in the team as well as Cigo. They knew that the dog would come in handy in case there was the chance that the suspects might flee.
And that is what exactly happened.
Shot
As soon as the two men came out of the mall, the cops came running in. One of the suspects was quickly caught but the other proved to be too slippery. He ran away hoping to escape the officers. Ryan commanded Cigo to apprehend the fleeing man, while the deputies followed behind.
Cigo, who was well-trained and obedient, quickly obeyed his handler’s command. The fast dog was near the suspect when the man suddenly turned around and pulled out a gun. he fired several times and the dog got shot in different areas of his body.
The suspect’s attention was focused on the dog, allowing the pursuing officers to fire at him. The man was hit and he was badly injured.
Deputy Ryan rushed to his partner’s side and carried him off to their vehicle. He was rushed to the hospital but his injuries were too extensive. Cigo passed away the next day.
Hero
The brave dog was hailed as a hero by the Sheriff’s department for his bravery while performing his job. If it weren’t for him, the deputies could have been shot or killed.
Source: Extreme Trends via Youtube
