Fax

Incident

K9 Fax died after being attacked by a pit bull while protecting his handler and another officer.

The two officers were checking a wooded area commonly used to dump stolen vehicles when they observed a man sitting in a car. As they approached the subject the man suddenly turned on the lights and drove towards the officers, who ordered him to stop at gunpoint. As they attempted to talk to the subject, the man let his pitbull out of the vehicle. The pitbull was put back into the truck upon instructions from the officers.

As the officers attempted to place the subject under arrest he began to struggle and again ordered the pitbull out of the truck. As it attempted to attack the officers, K9 Fax intercepted it kept it from the officers, but suffered serious injuries. Fax's handler was able to fatally shoot the pitbull. Fax was taken to animal hospital where he underwent surgery, but died a short time later from complications.

K9 Fax had served with the Lake County Sheriff's Department for six years.