APD holding public retirement ceremony for K9s
AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - The Austin Police Department and Junior League of Austin is inviting the public to celebrate the retirement of Austin police K9 Raggio, Emma and Horrigan.
The retirement ceremony will be held on Monday, May 20 from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
K9 RAGGIO
K9 Raggio was obtained in November 2011 through the Department of Defense Military Working Dog (DOD MWD) program out of Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. K-9 Raggio was named in honor of 9/11 hero, Port Authority Supervisor Eugene Raggio, who gave his life re-entering the Twin Towers to rescue people during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. During his career, K-9 Raggio had more than 600 deployments.
He is currently enjoying retirement at home with Officer Clint Hamilton and his family.
K9 EMMA
K9 Emma was also obtained through the DOD MWD program out of Lackland AFB San Antonio, Texas. She came to the Austin Police Department in April of 2012.
K9 Emma enjoys retirement at home with Officer Arthur Nelsen and his family.
K9 HORRIGAN
K9 Horrigan is named in honor of Master Sergeant Robert Horrigan (KIA 2007, US Army): Assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
On June 17, 2005, MSG Horrigan and MSG Michael McNulty stormed a known compound of Abu al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida leader in Iraq. Horrigan and McNulty were the first to enter the doors of the compound when they were hit by an enemy ambush. When they were shot by enemy fire, the call for help went out immediately, “TWO EAGLES DOWN.”
Horrigan died instantly from his wounds and McNulty died a few hours later.
Horrigan was 40 years old and is from Austin, TX.
During K9 Horrigan’s service with the Austin Police Department Bomb Squad, he received more than 960 hours of training, including certifications with the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association (NNDDA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Pacesetter K9.
K9 Horrigan has had over 300 deployments over the course of his career. He has performed motorcade and protective sweeps for countless foreign and domestic dignitaries to include two US presidents, as well as former presidents and presidential candidates. Each year K9 Horrigan has provided bomb and security sweeps for the City of Austin during our parades and festivals. He has worked five SXSW, ACL and COTA F1 races.
The information for the retirement ceremony can be found below.
Austin Police K-9 Retirement Ceremony
Monday, May 20, 2019
1:30 – 3 p.m.
Junior League of Austin
5416 Parkcrest Dr. #100
For more information on the K9 retirement ceremony, click here.