On Wednesday, a man who shot a police dog during a chase in 2016 was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
Tyler Jones was shot by Springfield Township police after police say that he aimed their gun at them and shot K-9 Pako in the shoulder. Police had reportedly been responding to calls of a drunk driver when they stopped Jones’ car with stop sticks. A female passenger appeared to try to get out of the car, while Jones turned and fired on police with a semiautomatic handgun.
The female suspect was arrested and was not injured.
Jones pleaded guilty to seven felony charges and was charged with four counts of felonious assault along with one count of assaulting a police dog, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of weapons while under disability.
“When a suspect is firing shots, it’s the same as the police officers that were taking fire,” Springfield Township Police Chief Robert Browder said at the time. “It’s the same thing — the dog and the human police officers. There’s no difference to me.”
Pako has since recovered and returned to duty and last week was given the K-9 Valor Award by the North American Police Work Dog Association.
— Betty Shelby acquitted in shooting death of Terence Crutcher —
