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A Dallas police corporal and his K-9 partner are being called heroes after a dramatic incident caught on body-cam video that left both wounded in a shooting.
According to Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia, Sr. Corporal Scott Jay and his K-9 partner, Figor, were searching in the woods for a shooting suspect just past 2 a.m. when the suspect opened fire at them.
The suspect, 20-year-old Brian Casillas, shot Figor in the chest and hit Jay in his bulletproof vest and leg. The bullet lodged in his vest was later found to be directly over his heart.
Despite being wounded, Jay immediately returned fire, and Figor heroically kept on the pursuit to take the suspect into custody. Casillas died at the scene.
“The work of this dog this night was nothing short of heroic,” Garcia said at a news conference. “Shot, injured, Figor goes back to do his job and take the man into custody.”
“Not only Senior Corporal Jay for bravely doing his job, searching for a dangerous suspect, but a K9 officer who took a bullet for his partner, and likely saved his life for working to detain a suspect while he was shot,” Garcia continued.
Officers providing backup arrived soon after and rendered medical aid to Jay, placing a tourniquet over his leg. But before they could help, Jay insisted on helping his dog first.
“My partner’s hit,” Jay could be heard saying in the video. “Let me get my dog!”
Fortunately, both Jay and Figor were treated at nearby hospitals and are recovering. Figor was treated and later released by Dallas Animal Emergency.
“God wasn’’t ready for two warriors that night, and these warriors did their duty in the face of evil.”
Garcia added that “The commitment between these two have to on another was like no other bond,” and spoke about the importance of the department’s K-9 unit.
“Our K-9s are invaluable members of this police department and [he] helped save his partner’s life,” Garcia said. “He did everything he was trained to do and exceeded all expectations of a K-9 partner and as a member of the Dallas Police Department.”
According to police, the incident began with a 9-1-1 call at around 9:45 a.m. Casillas apparently shot two people inside a home after they complained about his loud music. They then called for help and Casillas fled the scene.
The K-9 team eventually tracked a shoe and blood trail blocks away from the shooting to a creek near a bridge where they eventually encountered Casillas.
Figor was donated to the department in April last year by the nonprofit One Community USA.
The DPD thanked the community and the veterinary hospital in a tweet after the incident.
“Thank you for the prayers and kind words for Sr. Corporal Scott Jay and K-9 Figor. The team was reunited this weekend. A special thanks to Dallas Animal Emergency for the immediate care for K-9 Figor.”
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