Arlington PD K-9 overcome by heat during suspect search dies

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(Photo Courtesy: Arlington PD)

An Arlington Police Department K-9 died after he collapsed during a search for a suspect Tuesday morning.

Detectives were tracking a fugitive, 17-year-old Sune Deon Arnold Jr.,  wanted in conjunction with a June 12 shooting of another man. When officers tried to pull him over around 8 a.m., Arnold refused and sped away.

The chase ended in the 7100 block of Chambers Creek Court, where Arnold ran away.

After an hour-long search for Arnold, K-9 Officer Mojo appeared to be overheating and collapsed. He was taken to two animal hospitals and later died around 2:30 p.m.

Dr. Cindi Rachal is the veterinarian who treats Arlington's K-9 unit. She was able to get the temperature down to normal within an hour at the first hospital.

“His temperature was above what our thermometers will read,” said Rachal. “Getting them stable right away is kind of the easy part. The hard part is within the next few hours, even days, they can start having organ malfunction."

Mojo was taken to a second clinic in Mansfield where he died there during a blood transfusion.

Arnold was later arrested around 4:30 p.m. after a 911 caller reported seeing him in the area.

"Today we experienced a significant loss to our APD team. Mojo was an exceptional K9 partner, friend, and served the citizens of Arlington honorably," said Assistant Police Chief Kevin Kolbye.

“He's our four-legged officer who really helps out in some of the most critical calls,” said Arlington Lt. Cristopher Cook. “Our hearts go out to the handler. Everybody's just kind of hurting."

Mojo is a Belgian Malinois imported from Holland. He started his career at APD in June 2010, when he was 2-years-old. His handler was Officer Vince Ramsour, who has served in the K9 unit for 18 years. Mojo assisted officers in searching for "violent offenders, narcotics and evidence."

Mojo is the first K-9 death during a duty assignment in Arlington.