By Mike Koziatek
Belleville News-Democrat
ALTON, Ill. — An Alton police officer is recovering at home from injuries he suffered early Thursday in a shooting that left a suspect and the officer’s police dog dead.
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Police Officer First Class Allen Averbeck is the officer who was injured, according to the city of Alton.
K-9 Odin also was injured in the shooting and died after being taken to an animal hospital.
The name of the suspect has not been released.
Alton Mayor David Goins gave an update on Averbeck’s condition in a late afternoon news conference.
“He is resting well at home and thanks everyone for their concern,” Goins said.
Goins said Odin’s death is “a very tough loss.”
“They develop a bond that is unbreakable and unshakeable,” Goins said of the relationship between officers such as Averbeck and the dogs they oversee.
“They also develop a bond with the family because this canine goes home with this officer every day and really becomes part of that officer’s family,” he said.
“K-9 Odin served our community with exceptional bravery, and his sacrifice will always be remembered,” the city said in a Facebook posting.
Illinois State Police said in a news release earlier Thursday that state officers are investigating the “use of force portion” of the shooting.
Alton police officers “engaged in gunfire with a suspect” in the 700 block of East Sixth Street, according to the news release.
A police officer, later identified as Averbeck, was taken to a hospital while Odin was taken to an animal hospital with “critical injuries,” according the the Illinois State Police statement early Thursday.
The news release doesn’t describe what happened prior to the shootout.
Alton requested assistance from state police at about 6:05 a.m.
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