MESQUITE (1080 KRLD)- A Mesquite Police K9 officer was killed after a chase that started in Balch Springs Monday morning. Balch Springs police were called to a robbery on Beltline Rd, a few blocks north of I-20, at 2:06 a.m. Monday.
Balch Springs police say at least two armed robbers were reported at the site. Police say officers found a car that may have been involved in the robbery and tried to stop the car.
Balch Springs police say the car refused to stop, and officers began a chase that entered Dallas and then Mesquite.
Mesquite Police were dispatched to assist in the chase. They used spike strips to stop the car near Bruton Road and 635.
Police say the suspects ran into the woods next to the highway. Police say officers began chasing the suspects. Lieutenant Stephen Biggs says a K9 officer was used to track the suspects.
"The suspects were eventually located and taken into custody, but we weren't able to locate K9 Kozmo," he says.
Biggs says officers started a search for Kozmo, and he was found dead about 90 minutes later, about 4:15 a.m.
"He gave his life doing what he was trained to do," Biggs says. "We're just asking everybody, right now, to keep all our officers in their thoughts and prayers while we deal with this because it is truly like losing an officer."
The suspects were arrested; Biggs says testing is scheduled to confirm how Kozmo died.
Kozmo had been working for Mesquite police four years. A memorial service is now being planned.