San Joaquin Sheriff's K9 killed in line of duty in Tracy

Feb. 21—TRACY — A San Joaquin County Sheriff's K9 named Duke was killed while assisting officers attempting to apprehend a burglary suspect on Sunday near Tracy.

Tracy Police Department officers witnessed a burglary in progress in the area of Brichetto Road and South Banta Road in which two people were removing items from a locomotive belonging to Union Pacific Railroad.

When officers approached, one of the burglars fled on foot, and the other, later identified as 30-year-old Rafael Montoya-Velazquez of Salinas, hunkered down inside another nearby locomotive, police said. Officers established a perimeter and attempted to convince Montoya-Velazquez to surrender peacefully, police said.

Montoya-Velazquez failed to respond and a drone was deployed, but the operator could not see where Montoya-Velazquez was hiding, police said.

Officers requested the assistance of a K9 team from the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, and Montoya-Velazquez was located in a front compartment, police said.

The K9 was deployed, and soon afterward began to yelp as if he was injured.

The Sheriff's deputy was able to reopen the door and deploy his stun gun to take Montoya-Velazquez into custody, police said.

Officers learned the K9 had been stabbed multiple times. He was taken to a nearby veterinary emergency department, where he succumbed to his injuries, police said.

Montoya-Velazquez was found to be in possession of a large folding knife that was used in the assault against the K9, police said.

He was arrested and booked into San Joaquin County Jail on suspicion of willfully harming a police dog with serious injury, burglary, vandalism, obstruction, possession of burglary tools and trespassing on railroad property.