Stephon Ford, 17, died Saturday hours after the Jonesboro Police Department was called to investigate “suspicious activity” at a hotel, where authorities said they found Ford and two other men with marijuana and a cache of weapons.
While the other men were arrested without incident, Ford fled into a wooded area, sparking an eight-hour manhunt, officials told a press conference.
The nearby Clayton Police Department was among those helping, deploying K-9 officer Waro, a German shepherd, to help track down the teen.
Waro managed to find the hiding suspect, who refused to surrender — with Ford instead firing at officers with a handgun, hitting the K-9 in the back.
The 2-year-old dog was rushed to a local animal hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. No other officers were injured in the exchange of gunfire.
A SWAT team joined a door-to-door search for Ford, finding him again hours later, 11 Alive reports.
Ford declined several times to show officers his hands before he was fatally shot at around 2 a.m. Saturday, police said.
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