- A New York State Police dog named Will was accidentally killed by his partner
- Trooper Shaun Smith fired a single bullet at a pit bull attacking Will on Monday
- The bullet hit the pit bull in the leg and ricocheted off the ground, hitting Will
- Will was transported to a veterinary clinic in Lowville and died there
A New York State Police dog named after a trooper killed in the line of duty has died in a friendly fire incident while being attacked by a pit bull.
State police say troopers were helping the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office search a residence in the eastern Adirondacks late Monday night.
A pit bull ran out of the house and began attacking Trooper Shaun Smith’s K-9 partner, a 3-year-old Belgian-Malinois named Will.
A New York State Police dog named Will was killed by friendly fire on Monday while he was being attacked by a pit bull
Smith fired a single shot and hit the pit bull in the leg.
Troopers say it appears the bullet ricocheted off the ground and hit Will in the stomach.
The dog was transported to Countryside Veterinary Clinic in Lowville but he died there, police said.
Trooper Shaun Smith fired a single shot at the pit bull and hit it in the leg. However, the bullet ricocheted off the ground and hit Will in the stomach. He died at a veterinary clinic
Will graduated from state police K-9 school in April.
The pit bull survived and is being treated by a veterinarian. It is currently unknown if the dog’s owners will face charges.
He was named after Trooper William Doyle, who was fatally shot by escapees from a psychiatric institution in 1967.