LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A Las Vegas Metro police K9 was seriously injured after responding to a barricade near the downtown Las Vegas area.
It happened shortly after 1 p.m. in the 1200 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard near Charleston Boulevard.
Police responded to a call of a suicidal man in that area. When officers arrived they found the man barricaded with a small fire in his apartment. SWAT, a K9 team, and negotiators were called in to help assist with the incident.
When SWAT arrived the man came out armed with a knife with apparent self-inflicted wounds, police said. The man then started approaching officers with the knife. Officers then used several “low lethal options” including K9 Enzo to take the man into custody. The man began stabbing K9 Enzo multiple times. Officers continued to use “low lethal options” until they could take the man safely into custody, police said.
Las Vegas Metro police K9 was then airlifted to a local animal hospital where he was stabilized and was in surgery Friday afternoon, according to police. The man was also taken to a hospital where he was taken into surgery.
Due to the fire in the area northbound Las Vegas Boulevard after 4th Street had all lanes blocked from 4th Street to Park Paseo. Drivers should avoid the area.