K-9 goes home from vet hospital after police shooting that left one man dead
Published on June 26, 2017
Ranger underwent surgery for the severe fracture of his muzzle after being struck with a rock. The surgery appears to have been successful and the police dog was home Wednesday recovering from his injury, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department.
Sgt. Tony Turnbull, department spokesman, said it is anticipated that Ranger will be able to return to active duty. However, he will be checked out by the vet after a couple of weeks of recovery.
Ranger was hurt Monday night when he was hit by a rock wielded by Mikel Laney McIntyre, 32. A Rancho Cordova police officer and a sheriff’s deputy were trying to bring McIntyre under control.
After a confrontation with his mother in a parking lot near Zinfandel Drive and Highway 50 that she says was simply a disagreement but deputies allege was violent, McIntyre ran across Olson Drive to the Red Roof Inn.
There, McIntyre and an officer fought in a landscaped area filled with river rocks, Turnbull said. McIntyre picked up one of the rocks and hit the officer in the head, Turnbull said.
The officer remained conscious and fired his gun at McIntyre, who ran down Olson and Zinfandel drives to the freeway ramp and onto westbound Highway 50, Turnbull said.
Other officers found McIntyre on the north side of Highway 50 under the Zinfandel overcrossing. Turnbull said McIntyre threw rocks at the deputies, who released the police dog in an effort to take him into custody.
McIntyre then hit Ranger in the head with another large rock and began to attack officers, Turnbull said. Two officers opened fire, wounding McIntyre. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
One officer who was hit in the head with a rock was taken to the hospital and later released with staples in his head to treat the wound.