A Rock Hill man is headed to prison for eight years after pleading guilty in a case that left a Rock Hill Police Department K-9 repeatedly stabbed but ultimately back on his paws. K-9 Apollo survived the attack and has since recovered. The punishment includes a five-year term for the stabbing and an additional three-year term for resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, to be served one after the other rather than at the same time.
According to WSOC, Travonte Tate pleaded guilty to stabbing K-9 Officer Apollo and to resisting arrest with a deadly weapon. The outlet reports that a judge handed down a five-year sentence on the stabbing charge and three more years for resisting arrest, with the sentences ordered to run consecutively.
What Happened
As reported by WIS News 10, officers were called to a home on Martin Avenue on Aug. 29, 2025, after a woman told police that Tate had tried to stab her. Responding officers released Apollo to track and subdue Tate. While the K-9 held him, Tate allegedly stabbed Apollo multiple times before officers were able to disarm him, according to the outlet.
Police later charged Tate with attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a crime of violence, resisting arrest with a deadly weapon and unlawfully injuring a police dog, WIS News 10 reported.
Officer Apollo's Recovery
WSOC notes that Apollo pulled through after the stabbing and has recovered from his injuries. His survival and return to his handler put a spotlight on just how dangerous it can be for K-9s when they are sent in first on high-risk calls.
Charges And Legal Context
Prosecutors pursued the counts outlined by WIS News 10, and Tate entered guilty pleas on the stabbing and resisting-arrest charges. Under state law, willfully injuring a police dog is a felony that can bring fines and between one and five years in prison, according to the South Carolina Code. The eight-year sentence closes a case that drew regional attention when Apollo was rushed for emergency veterinary care after the Aug. 29 encounter.
