Police dog a ‘hero’ for taking bullet from Chicago murder suspect wounded by Kenosha County deputies, police say

A police dog is being called a “hero” for taking a bullet from a Chicago murder suspect who was then shot and wounded by Kenosha County sheriff’s deputies Thursday morning.

Chicago police tipped off deputies that a suspect driving the murder victim’s vehicle was at the Benson Corners gas station off of Highway 50 in Bristol, Kenosha County Sheriff David G. Beth said.

As deputies confronted on him at 11:15 a.m., the man ran off while holding a gun, Beth said. A police dog named Riggs leapt after the man and took him down as he was approaching the nearby highway.

The man then shot Riggs once in the forehead, wounding him, Beth said. The German Shepard “trotted off” and was taken to an Illinois emergency center, Beth said. Riggs, who has spent five years on the force, was expected to recover.

At least two deputies then fired on the man, striking him in the abdomen and leg, Beth said.

The man, a 33-year-old resident of Countryside, was taken to a hospital for treatment and underwent surgery, police said. He remains hospitalized and his condition has been stabilized.

Beth said the dog likely prevented further harm in the incident.

“In a lot of ways, he’s a hero today. He took the suspect down and kept him from running onto Highway 50,” Beth said. “Who knows if he would’ve tried to carjack someone on the highway.”

Police did not say what murder in Chicago the car was connected to. The Racine County sheriff’s office was investigating the shooting.