A Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office K-9 died while deployed with the SWAT team in Harvey Wednesday.
Macho, and eight-year-old Belgian Malinois, found the suspect they were looking for hiding in a box-spring and had clamped down. Sheriff Joe Lopinto says Macho's handler called him off, and that is when the dog suffered an apparent medical emergency.
"They performed CPR on the dog. We ended up loading the dog up and bringing him here to our...emergency vet," Lopinto said.
The sheriff said deputies were doing everything they could to save Macho.
"Continued CPR on the K9 on the entire trip here and here at the vet but unfortunately the dog was pronounced deceased," Lopinto said Wednesday afternoon.
The sheriff said Macho had served with the JPSO for seven years, and was a great dog to bring to schools because of his friendly disposition.
A necropsy will be performed to determine what caused his death.
The suspect was booked on outstanding warrants in St. Charles and St. Tammany parishes.
