FBI Dog Killed in Action Will Receive Special Burial at Quantico
An FBI service dog has been killed during his second mission, agents confirm. The dog, Ape, helped police track down Kurt Myers, who was wanted for killing four people in New York.
Myers shot Ape as he entered the building where he had been holed up, trying to avoid police. Ape was wearing a camera in order to provide FBI agents with scenes from the inside. Once Myers fired, police returned fire and killed Myers; they then went to work trying to save Ape.
"We were trying to do everything we could to try to save his life," Dr. Emily M. Green, a veterinarian, told The New York Times.
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Unfortunately, the doctors' efforts were not enough and Ape passed away a short time later. His handlers said that Ape was two years old and had worked with the FBI for two weeks. It was his second assignment and Ape will be given full honors at a ceremony at FBI headquarters in Quantico, Va.
"Ape was doing what he was trained to do and made the ultimate sacrifice for his team. His actions were heroic and prevented his teammates from being seriously wounded or killed," Special Agent Ann Todd said in a statement.
Now Ape's body will be transferred to Quantico, where he will be buried alongside other service dogs and have his name etched on a memorial wall dedicated to dogs killed in the line of service.
The search for Myers began earlier this week, when he went on a shooting spree in upstate New York. Myers killed four people and injured two others once he began shooting. He later holed up in an abandoned tavern for 19 hours before police were able to enter the building and engage in a firefight.
No police were injured in the firefight; Ape was the only one to give his life in the shootout.
