COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS/Gray News) – Police in Columbia, South Carolina, are mourning the loss of their police K-9 Bumi, who was shot and killed during a police chase in December.
Bumi was killed on Dec. 23 after deputies with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) attempted to stop a stolen car in the early morning hours.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said Bumi was shot at least two times and was wearing a vest, but was hit underneath it in the chest.
“We took Bumi to the vet anyway to see what we could do,” Lott said.
Lott said the incident happened after deputies spotted a car on Parklane Road, which was reported stolen Sunday evening. When the deputies tried to stop the car, the driver refused to pull over.
There was a “short pursuit,” a news release from the sheriff’s department said.
During the chase, deputies deployed stop sticks and the vehicle crashed at an intersection.
One of the suspects stayed in the car and two others ran away, according to Lott.
Deputies chased after the two teens. One of the deputies who chased was K-9 Specialist Alan Ware alongside his K-9, Bumi.
Lott said the K-9 took after one of the teens, but got out of Ware’s vision. The chase turned a corner behind a home near the intersection of Alida Street and Wilkes Road.
According to the sheriff’s department, one of the teens shot Bumi at least twic
am also very sad but also very mad,” Lott said. “This is three weeks in a row I stood at this podium and talked about young people and guns and stolen cars. Shooting at deputies and now, this morning, killing one of our police dogs.”
“This is the third dog we have had killed this year. This is the second dog we have had shot,” Lott said.
K-9 Bumi was 4 years old and had been partners with Officer Ware for two years, the sheriff’s department said.
Three teens are facing charges in connection to the incident.
