K9 Officer Recovering After Being Shot

Last updated on Monday, August 20, 2012

(ANDERSON) - K-9 Officer Magnum remains at Northwood Animal Hospital, recovering from a gunshot wound.

Marisela Burgos
Marisela Burgos, of FOX59 reports, at 9:30 Saturday morning, dispatch called Anderson Police Officer Matt Jarrett, Magnum's handler, about a bank robbery at the PNC bank on Nichol Avenue.

"When I got up and got excited, he (Magnum) was right there following me. He knew it was time to go to work," Officer Jarrett said.

According to Jarrett, a witness told officers, he saw Joseph Turner, the suspect, riding a bike into a bean field. "We tracked through bean fields and some wood and another bean field and the suspect popped up," Officer Jarrett said.

That is when Officer Jarrett let go of Magnum, in order for him to go to work. "The guy was running. I could see a handgun in his hand. He ran the wood line. Magnum ran the wood line after him," Officer Jarrett described.

Officer Jarrett said he did not see Turner or Magnum for a while. Then, Magnum came around. He said he tried to corral him, but Magnum had a scent. Moments later, Officer Jarrett heard gunshots.

"It wasn't 20 minutes before I could get to him because we had to wait for the perimeter. We had to wait for the SWAT team. Then, our SWAT team arrived and those guys...we lined up and went and got him," Officer Jarrett recollected.

Officer Jarrett said Magnum was shot between his eyes. He said his left eye was partially blown out, as well as his left eardrum. He said the bullet traveled down his neck into his chest, missing vital organs.

"When you see your....your best friend laying there, you don't want him to suffer. You don't want him to lay there (in) pain or suffering. I just wanted to see him," Officer Jarrett said.

Officer Jarrett thought Magnum had been killed. He became hopeful when he noticed Magnum was still breathing. "I started CPR and I did CPR all the way to the hospital," he stated.

Magnum is three years old. Officer Jarrett and Magnum have been a team for a year and a half. Officer Jarrett said Magnum became a part of his family. Officer Jarrett described Magnum as his best friend.

Magnum had surgery at noon on Saturday. Officer Jarrett said the 12 to 24 hours after that surgery are critical. As of Saturday night, he said Magnum was stable. Magnum is breathing on his own, but is unresponsive. Officer Jarrett said he isn't sure if Magnum will work again. He said he wants to bring him home -soon.

According to detectives, Turner surrendered.

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