A Stockton police K9 is recovering from stab wounds he received while aiding police officers in taking down a man wielding a knife on Tuesday.
Rocky, a 6-year-old Dutch Shepherd, is still in the intensive care unit at an animal hospital in Sacramento.
Rocky accompanied Stockton police officers who were responding to an incident regarding a man who appeared to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs in front of a residence in the 800 block of Howard Street, just west of Interstate 5.
The man kicked in the front door of the residence and went inside. The residents barricaded themselves inside the bedroom according to officer Joe Silva.
Silva said the suspect was inside the group home when two officers with Rocky arrived at the scene. Officers ordered the suspect to stop and surrender and when he did not comply they deployed Rocky.
The suspect produced a knife and stabbed Rocky in the shoulder. He then raised the knife over his head in a threatening manner toward the two officers according to Silva.
The officers fired their guns striking the suspect several times, Silva said. When he fell down to the ground, he was still holding the knife in his hand. Another officer then deployed a taser striking the suspect.
He was handcuffed and officers administered first aid and CPR, Silva said. Medics arrived and took over and then pronounced the suspect dead at the scene.
Police said Rocky has been working on the streets for five years
