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ANAHEIM (CBSLA.com) — Authorities Friday continued searching for a second suspect following a deadly officer-involved shooting that also injured a beloved police dog.
Bruno, a 7-year-old sable German Shepherd and six-year veteran of the Anaheim Police Department, is recovering after emergency surgery to remove a bullet from his lung.
The dog was injured Thursday when two Anaheim police officers arrived at the intersection of La Palma and Mayfair avenues at approximately 2 p.m. for a parole check.
Police say a man began shooting at the officers from inside a vehicle and another took off running.
The officers were not hit and put in a call to Anaheim police, who responded to the scene and set up a perimeter. A SWAT team and K9 unit were called in to aid in the search for the suspect.
Authorities say Bruno guided his handler, Officer RJ Young, to the suspect, who fired shots, striking the dog in the jaw. Officers returned fire, fatally shooting the suspect, who was identified as 21-year-old Robert Moreno Jr.
Moreno, a known gang member, was released from jail 10 days ago after serving time for auto theft, according to authorities.
“The dog alerted that the suspect was hiding behind a trash can. As they went up, the suspect stood up and started shooting at the direction of the officers and purposely aimed at the dog, shooting the dog,” Anaheim Police Lt. Tim Schmidt said.
Bruno was critically wounded after a bullet entered through his lung and became lodged in his chest, requiring surgeons to remove part of his damaged lung and repair his shattered jaw.
He came out of surgery at Yorba Linda Regional Animal Hospital at approximately 9:15 p.m. Thursday and was expected to survive.
CBS2′s Kara Finnstrom reports he will have to wear a cast around his jaw and be fed through a feeding tube for the next two months.
Several officers held vigil at the facility Thursday night.
Anaheim Police K9 Association President Cheryl Timmons said she has known Bruno since he was a puppy, and officer Young couldn’t be more close to his K9.
“They have one of the tightest relationships you could ever imagine. This is going to be a really rough one for RJ,” she said.
Bruno goes home with Young every day and is said to constantly be at the side of his daughter, who was born three months ago.
He is the most senior police dog, according to the City of Anaheim. It remains unclear if he will return to duty or will retire.
Many are asking how to donate to Bruno's care. Please visit Friends of Anaheim Police K9 Association on Facebook. goo.gl/Lg2Qq9—
Anaheim PD (@AnaheimPD) March 21, 2014
Great to hear @AnaheimPD K9 Bruno is out of surgery. Well wishes from #LAPD for his full recovery and back to work with his partner.—
Chief Charlie Beck (@LAPDChiefBeck) March 21, 2014
Police, meanwhile, say one suspect remains at large. He is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 20 years old, and was wearing all black at the time of the incident.
(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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Suspect Killed, Police Dog Shot During Parole Check In Anaheim
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