Scottsdale police K9 recovering after being shot in line of duty
K9 Rocco was shot at least once in the face during a police situation.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A Scottsdale police K9 is on the road to recovery after being shot in the line of duty last Friday.
K9 Rocco returned to Scottsdale Police Headquarters on Tuesday sporting a big cone around his head as injuries to his face heal.
“He would go back to work right now if I would take this cone off,” K9 Rocco’s handler, Derek Vusovich, said. “Whether we’re looking for bad guys or we’re looking for drugs or anything else, he just likes to be out there.”
Last Friday, Rocco and Vusovich responded to an emergency call of a man allegedly threatening another person with a gun near Scottsdale and McKellips roads.
That suspect did not comply with officer commands to get out of his car, so they sent Rocco after him, police said.
The man allegedly reached for an object behind him and that’s when another officer shot at the car, hitting both the suspect and Rocco.
The suspect died. Rocco was rushed to a veterinary hospital.
“I never once felt that I wasn’t prepared to deal with it. I don’t think I really had a whole lot of time to be emotional; it was just I need to fix him,” Vusovich said.
Vusovich said Rocco was acting close to normal immediately after the shooting. He was hit at least once in the muzzle.
“It went through the skin, out the lip on the right side and then under the nose on this side right here,” Vusovich said.
Rocco didn’t need major surgery, just a few stitches.
“He looked pretty rough the night of and when I saw him for the first time, I was like what did you guys do? He looks great,” Vusovich said.
Vusovich said K9s, like Rocco, are a tactical advantage used to find people and drugs.
“When it comes to finding things or finding people, the work they can cover in a matter of minutes, may take us hours to do,” Vusovich said. “At the end of the day, it’s his job to go into harm’s way and protect us.”
While the dogs protect the officers, there are protections in place for the dogs, too.
“Rocco does wear a bullet proof vest all the time, you can see it’s here on the table. In this case, the vest itself wouldn’t have prevented the injury but it’s custom fit for him.”
Rocco’s handler, however, is his number one protector.
“I tell him to go do something and he does it and he’s got a smile on his face, his tail is wagging the whole time and he’s happy to do it,” Vusovich said.
The partners are hoping they’ll be back on duty together soon.
“I’m super proud of him and I have no doubt he’ll be back and rocking and rolling quickly,” Vusovich said.
Rocco will be on no work status until the veterinarian clears him for duty.
Mesa police are investigating the shooting.