‘Saved the lives of police officers.’ A Florida K-9 killed by gunman, cops say
A K-9 named Max was shot and killed this week in Central Florida by a man wanted for domestic violence, the Lake Wales police chief said. The gunman was shot dead by officers.
“This dog did exactly what he was trained to do ... He ultimately saved the lives of police officers this morning. I fully wholeheartedly believe that we would be up here talking about dead police officers if that K-9 had not been in service this morning,” said Lake Wales Police Chief Chris Velasquez in a Wednesday news conference.
Lake Wales police and the Polk County Sheriff Office held a procession to the medical examiner’s office for the fallen 7-year-old Belgian Malinois, who had worked for Lake Wales police since December 2015.
Max was “murdered” by 57-year-old Earnest Borders, a convicted felon who had been sentenced to Florida State Prison three times, Velasquez said. The police chief said Borders had a lengthy criminal history: 24 prior felony charges, four misdemeanor charges and 18 felony convictions. He killed Max with a stolen Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun, according to WFLA.
Velasquez said officers responded around 5 a.m. Wednesday to a 911 call made by a woman who said Borders dragged her out of a car, slammed her head into the concrete, choked her and repeatedly fired his gun outside her home. Police said they found at least nine bullet casings in the area.
The woman told dispatch that before Borders started firing, he told her she was “going to be in more trouble than he is,” according to the 911 call, which was played during the conference.
Borders was gone by the time officers arrived. He later returned to the area with the stolen gun, police said. When officers tried to arrest him, Borders ran into a wooded area near a railroad track, the police chief said.
Lake Wales police and the Polk County Sheriff Office began searching for Borders. Lake Wales Police Officer Jared Joyner, an 11 year veteran on the force, his K-9 partner Max and another officer tracked and found Borders, police said.
Max then did what K9s are trained to do — and bit Borders leg, while officers repeatedly told him to put his hands up, Velasquez said. Borders shot and killed Max, and was then fatally shot by officers, said Velasquez.
The police chief said Joyner is devastated by the death of Max, who lived with him and was part of his family. In a Facebook post, the police department said Max was a “fearless” partner to the end.
“It crushes you because that K-9 died so the police officers wouldn’t,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd at the conference. “He was the tip of the spear. He was the one sent in to protect the officers while they attempted to arrest a man who had been actively shooting after he committed a violent domestic violence and what we lost today was one of our partners.”
The two officers who shot Borders are on administrative leave, as is standard, said Velasquez. Lake Wales police, the Polk County Sheriff Office and the State Attorney’s Office are investigating. The medical examiner will determine the official cause of death for Max and Borders.
