Bumi

Incident

K9 Bumi was shot and killed while apprehending a juvenile fleeing from a stolen car after a short pursuit.

At 2:30 a.m., deputies pursued a stolen vehicle with three juveniles who would not pull over for a traffic stop. When the car crashed after deputies deployed stop sticks at Alida Street and Wilkes Road in Columbia, two juveniles fled. K9 Bumi pursued the subjects, and when he found them, he was shot three times underneath his K9 vest.

K9 Bumi was transported to a local veterinary hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

A 16-year-old, who had a lengthy criminal record and was wearing an uncharged ankle monitor, was apprehended at the scene and pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice. A 13-year-old suspect was arrested later that afternoon and pleaded guilty to unlawful killing of a police dog. His mother has been charged with accessory after the fact of a felony. A third suspect, 17 years old, was arrested on December 28, 2024, and was charged with driving a stolen vehicle and failure to stop.

K9 Bumi had served with the Richland County Sheriff's Department for three months and served with his partner for two years.