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Police K-9 killed, 2 officers injured after suspect's ambush

Braintree PD K9 Kitt
Posted at 6:03 AM, Jun 06, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-06 09:03:22-04

BRAINTREE, MA — A police K-9 was killed and two officers were injured during a firefight with a suspect after a 911 call was made about a domestic dispute Friday afternoon in Braintree, Massachusetts.

The suspect was killed during the incident, according to the Norfolk District Attorney's office.

The incident began around 1 p.m. at Braintree Village apartments off Commercial Street and McCusker Drive, where the police received a phone call for a domestic disturbance, the DA's office said.

The 911 caller informed the officers that the suspect fled into nearby woods with multiple firearms.

Officials investigate the scene where two police officers and a K9 were shot responding to a domestic call in Braintree, Mass., on June 4, 2021.

Several officers went into the woods and were led by a police K-9, according to the DA's office. The suspect, Andrew Homen, 34, opened fire and the officers returned shots, the DA said.

"I could hear the police yelling at someone, 'Get down, get down.' and I could hear him saying, 'What did I do?'," Robert Cooke, an eyewitness,told ABC affiliate WCVB.

Kitt, the police dog, was killed in the crossfire and two unidentified officers were shot, according to the DA's office. Homen was also killed in the firefight, the DA's office said.

Police K9 Kitt, who was shot and killed while on duty, is pictured in a photo shared on the Braintree Police Department's Twitter account on June 4, 2021, with the text, "Free Time Kitt. We will forever miss you and always remember the good times we shared with you buddy. You went out a lion, protecting your dad and his partners."

The wounded officers were transported to area hospitals and underwent surgery, but police said their prognoses were good.

Kitt, a 12-year veteran of the force, was carted out with an American flag draped over the canine's body to a saluting group of officers. The police honored Kitt's life with a tweet later in the evening.

The investigation is ongoing.