Overview
- An armed passenger fled a traffic stop near the northbound I-5 Buena Vista Street on-ramp around 6:40 p.m., prompting a search in nearby residential terrain.
- During the search, the suspect shot K-9 Spike, who was rushed to an emergency veterinarian and pronounced dead.
- The operation expanded to include Glendale police, a helicopter, additional K-9 teams, crisis negotiators and Burbank SWAT.
- After officers attempted to secure a surrender using negotiations and less-lethal systems, the suspect fired on police and struck patrol vehicles, and officers returned fire, killing him.
- Investigators recovered a handgun at the scene, the suspect has not been publicly identified, and Burbank police plan a memorial for Spike, a two-year department veteran recently certified in narcotics work who had just turned four.