The North County Police Cooperative (NCPC) has confirmed the death of K-9 Officer Oya, following a confrontation during the pursuit of suspects from a stolen vehicle incident. FOX 2 reported that the chase began on the morning of July 30, when officers attempted to stop a stolen vehicle in the 6200 block of Wells Avenue, in Wellston. The vehicle subsequently crashed near Hodiamont Avenue and Wells Avenue, after which the suspects fled on foot.
While the NCPC has not disclosed the exact circumstances of K-9 Oya's death, it has been noted that the tragedy occurred in the aftermath of the suspects' flight, the two having gone in separate directions. Oya was deployed to assist in capturing one of the suspects. KSDK noted that both suspects are still at large and are considered ‘armed and dangerous’.
Adding to the already clouded narrative, First Alert 4 has received information suggesting a more complex chain of events. Sources told the outlet that an NCPC officer may have shot and killed Oya after the dog began biting an officer, a serious twist that has yet to be confirmed by the department. The official statement, as of now, is that to “protect the integrity of the investigation, additional comment can’t be made.” First Alert 4's inquiries about whether shots were fired by the suspects during the chase were met with no response as of their latest update.
A few weeks prior to the incident, the department had announced that Oya along with two other K-9s, Tobi and Victor, had received $1,800 bullet and stab protective vests from a non-profit organization, aiming to bolster their safety during operations. The department had praised Oya back in May when she located 7.5 grams of suspected fentanyl during a stop, hailing her as a “good girl,” who always made her partner proud, according to KSDK.
