Kane County deputies honor police dog killed in shootout
Hours after a Kane County Sheriff’s Office police dog was killed during a shootout Wednesday, deputies gave the dog a final salute.
Hudson, a 4-year-old Dutch shepherd named after an Illinois state trooper who was killed several years ago, died Wednesday afternoon after he was deployed when police said they saw the man involved in the shootout with Kane County Sheriff’s deputies had a handgun.
Both the man and the police dog died in the shootout.
Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain, a former canine handler, said Hudson “has been a loyal servant to the sheriff’s office.”
Hudson was a narcotics detection dog, working under Kane County Sheriff’s Det. Luke Weston for the last three years. He was utilized for over 100 tracks of criminal offenders and missing people in his short career, Hain said.
He also helped locate evidence for ongoing investigations and has detected and seized over 100 kilograms of narcotics, officials said.
Sheriff’s deputies and officers from throughout the county gave final honors to Hudson Wednesday evening by lining up with other police dogs and saluting as a squad car passed through.
A public funeral will take place for Hudson from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at Harter Middle School in Sugar Grove, 1601 Esker Drive. Guests should enter through door 16 located on the south side of the school, officials said.
A police dog walk-through will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a police walk-through following. A funeral service will also be held, according to officials.
Sheriff’s officials said the man involved in the shootout with police allegedly carjacked a Honda Accord in Aurora Wednesday. The vehicle was later spotted by deputies using license plate readers in South Elgin, according to officials.
Deputies initiated a pursuit which went from South Elgin to the intersection of Randall Road and Fabyan Parkway at the border of Batavia and Geneva, where the vehicle was stopped by police, officials said.
The man exited his vehicle with a handgun and Hudson was deployed, Hain said. Hudson bit the man and the two became involved in an “active struggle,” officials said.
An exchange of gunfire occurred, Hain said, during which the man and Hudson were shot.
Hain said Hudson was a valuable member of the sheriff’s office.
“This is a big loss for us,” Hain said Wednesday. “He (Hudson) is an absolute hero today.”