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Suspect wanted in deadly K-9 shooting now dead
According to Clayton County Police Department, the suspect wanted in the deadly shooting of K-9 officer Waro – identified earlier as 17-year-old Stephon Ford – is dead. Police explained the circumstances to FOX 5.
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - A teenager and a police K-9 are dead after in an incident involving Clayton County and Jonesboro police on Saturday.
Stephon Ford, 17, was shot and killed by law enforcement approximately eight hours after their initial contact with him, as revealed by Assistant Chief Bruce Parks during a news conference held Saturday afternoon.
The incident originated as an investigation into suspicious activity involving three individuals at a motel located in the 8200 block of Tara Boulevard, according to police. When Jonesboro police officers attempted to engage with the three individuals, all of them fled the scene, although two were swiftly apprehended.
In their pursuit of a suspect identified as Ford, Jonesboro police reached out to Clayton County police for K-9 assistance at approximately 1:45 a.m. Ford had taken refuge in a wooded area, prompting the deployment of a K-9 unit to conduct a search.
Police K-9 Waro successfully tracked down the suspect at which point officers instructed Ford to surrender. Ford is accused of subsequently producing a handgun and firing it in the direction of the officers.
The K-9, who had been a part of the Clayton police force for approximately three years, sustained a gunshot wound to the back, resulting in significant internal injuries. Fortunately, no officers or local residents sustained any injuries during the incident.
"The overall situation is tragic. We hate it," Assistant Chief Bruce Parks said. "We never want anything like this to happen."
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Clayton County PD press conference about shooting
Clayton County Police hold press conference about death of K-9 and death of suspect on Sept. 2, 2023
It's especially painful for the department as just a week ago, it was announced Waro would be getting a bullet and stab-proof vest soon thanks to a charitable donation. He never got the opportunity to wear it.
Approximately eight hours after the initial encounter with the suspect, officers again spotted Ford in the area. Officers reportedly issued multiple commands to Ford, instructing him to lower his firearm after he had pointed it at the police. Ultimately, officers resorted to using lethal force, resulting in Ford's demise due to the injuries he sustained.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has confirmed that it will be conducting an investigation into the incident, although specific details have not been released by the agency at this time.