Police dog, suspect shot in Gary
K-9, man hospitalized after stop results in gunfire
A Lake County Sheriff's Department police dog and a suspect were shot in an exchange of gunfire during a Wednesday afternoon traffic stop in Gary, police said.
Shortly before 3 p.m., a county officer made a traffic stop in the 700 block of 42nd Street in Gary when a passenger in a silver vehicle fled west on 42nd, according to an Indiana State Police news release.
The officer and his K-9 partner, Blade, pursued the passenger, who ran down an alley toward railroad tracks north of the traffic stop, the release states.
The passenger shot at the officer, hitting Blade, according to the release. The officer returned fire and hit the fleeing passenger once, according to police.
Another officer arrived on the scene and disarmed the passenger, who was then taken to North Lake Hospital in Gary with life-threatening injuries, the release states.
Blade was taken to a local animal hospital for treatment before being transported by police car to Purdue Veterinary Hospital in West Lafayette. The dog was undergoing tests Wednesday night, but was listed in stable condition, according to a release from sheriff's department spokesman Mark Back.
Blade, a 6 1/2-year-old Dutch Shepherd, has been with the department's Gang Unit all four years it's been with Lake County, Back said. The department declined to release the name of the officer involved in the shooting, Back said.
Another suspect was still at large, according to the release from Back.
The sheriff's department requested Indiana State Police to investigate and their investigation is ongoing, authorities said.
Police blocked off Georgia Street between 41st and 42nd in the area surrounding the railroad tracks with yellow tape, using squad cars to block off side streets.
A helicopter hovered above as officers canvassed the neighborhood about 4:30 p.m. More than a dozen squad cars from Gary police, the Lake County sheriff, Indiana State Police and unmarked vehicles lined the scene.
