A teenager on the run in Georgia was shot dead by officers after opening fire on a police dog.
The 17-year-old, identified as Stephon Ford by the Clayton County Police Department, was killed by police after allegedly pointing a gun at officers and refusing to drop the firearm.
"The overall situation is tragic. We hate it," Clayton Assistant Police Chief Bruce Parks told reporters. "We never want anything like this to happen. We try to use all our training and experience to bring it to an easy resolution, but this is not easy on us. It’s not easy on the suspect’s family. And it’s something that is going to take a while to get by."
Ford is said to have opened fire on K-9 Waro, a police dog that was pursuing the teenager into a wooded area.
The teenager was on the run after the Jonesboro Police Department was initially called out at 2am on Saturday to investigate “suspicious activity” at a hotel. Officers found Ford and two men with drug paraphernalia and weapons. The police arrested the two men but Ford managed to escape and flee.
The Clayton Police Department was called to help in the search for Ford before K-9 Waro found the suspect in the woods. Ford did not comply with the demands of the officers and started to fire in their direction, hitting Waro, according to Clayton Police Captain John Ivey.
While all officers were uninjured, Waro was taken to an animal hospital and died of his wounds.
K-9 Waro, a Clayton County Police dog, died of injuries after being shot by Stephon Ford— (Clayton County Police Department)
Ford, 17, was killed by police after refusing to put down his firearm— (Clayton County Police Department)
Around eight hours after the shooting of Waro, police located Ford again in a wooded area. Police Chief Parks said another officer asked Ford to lower his firearm and surrender. After pointing a gun at officers, Ford was shot and killed, said Chief Parks.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is still looking into the shooting.
