An off-duty K-9 belonging to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office attacked a child and their father after breaching its enclosure and jumping into the neighbors' yard, as reported by KDVR. The incident in Castle Rock, a neighborhood southeast of Denver, occurred on Sunday around 4 p.m. and resulted in hospitalization for both victims who are now recovering at home.
Following the event, the dog's handler, Officer Zachary Oliver, swiftly secured the K-9 named Ragnar. As 9NEWS reported, Oliver is now on paid administrative leave while the Castle Rock Police and the sheriff's office, conduct separate investigations into the dog's escape and the subsequent bite. The sheriff's office is also deliberating the future role of the K-9 within the law enforcement unit. Ragnar the K-9, meanwhile has been quarantined for a mandatory 10-day period with no permissible interaction with other animals or people save for the handler.
While the boy and his father recuperate from the incident, community members and local authorities alike await the outcomes of the inquiries. The sheriff’s department must now make a crucial decision regarding Ragnar's standing as an active service animal, as uncertainty hangs over the future of the K-9 with the unit, as gleaned from discussions with deputies, cited by the Herald Sun.
