By Michael Stavola
The Wichita Eagle
WICHITA, Kan. — A wanted 24-year-old Wichita man was arrested after running from police, hiding in a storm drain and then strangling to death a K-9, Wichita police spokesperson Juan Rebolledo said Thursday.
Police were looking for the man in connection with a robbery and domestic violence battery, Rebolledo said. Police were patrolling an area around White Oak and Hildreth in southeast Wichita when they spotted the man walking.
K-9 Bane was released into the drain to help arrest a suspect. (Kansas Police Dog Association via Facebook)
The man ran into a nearby creek bed and then went into a large storm drain, Rebolledo said.
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office responded along with police. The sheriff’s office released K-9 Bane into the storm drain.
“He strangled (the) K-9 to death,” Rebolledo said.
First responders tried to rescuscitate the dog for 30 to 40 minutes, he said.
Sheriff Jeff Easter said a necropsy would be done to confirm the cause of death.
Lt. Aaron Moses said Bane used to work for the police department but now worked for the sheriff’s office. Bane was a Belgian Malinois; his former handler, officer Daniel Gumm, died of cancer last year.
Moses said Bane and a Wichita police K-9 were both released on extended leashes into the storm drain. A camera was also used. Moses said the other K-9 wasn’t injured.
The incident started at 11:54 a.m. and lasted more than 2.5 hours.
Police were able to talk the man into surrendering around 2:40 p.m., Rebolledo said. The man was taken to the hospital for minor scrapes and bites.
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