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Ohio police are mourning the loss of one of their K9 officers after a shootout during an attempted robbery.
Saturday morning, police in Canton, Ohio, responded to a call of an alarm at a grocery story. When they arrived, the suspect opened fire, striking their K9 officer Jethro three or four times.
The public was kept up-to-date on Jethro鈥檚 condition . At first, because the bullets had missed vital organs, he was expected to survive. On Saturday at 10 p.m., the police updated that he suffered some brain swelling but that he was making slow progress. Several hours later, he was given a sedative to help him sleep. 鈥淗e's just trying to beat this thing the way he's used to, by fighting,鈥� the update said. His handler, Ryan Davis, stayed by his side, finally falling asleep early Sunday morning.
On Sunday, that Jethro took a 鈥渁 sudden turn for the worse and passed.鈥�
Support poured in from all over the country. The department stated that a funeral will be held (details forthcoming) and provided an address for donations in Jethro鈥檚 name to be made to the department鈥檚 K-9 unit.
Also, set up in Jethro's name raised more than $22,000 by Monday morning. A local blogger named Beth Philley started the account as a way to raise funds for Jethro's vet bills and new bulletproof vests for the department's dogs.
鈥淚n visiting with several officers at the emergency clinic, I was told that the bullet-proof vests in Canton are very old, very heavy, and very rarely used,鈥� she wrote.
When Jethro was transported from the vet鈥檚 office, he was given a salute.
The suspect who fired shots was located with a gunshot wound and taken for treatment.
鈥溾�淭here鈥檚 not a doubt in my mind that that dog saved officers鈥� lives today,鈥� Police Chief Bruce Lawver told the .
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