Police kill police dog's alleged killer
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St. Paul officials say a K-9 officer who lost his dog in a fatal encounter with a Missouri fugitive fought for his own life before in the line of duty.
Authorities said Officer Dave Longbehn's dog, Kody, was stabbed to death as members of the North Star Fugitive Task Force were looking for a suspect on a first-degree criminal sexual conduct warrant.
Members of the task force had gone to a St. Paul home to arrest him Tuesday afternoon when they found him armed with a knife in the basement.
Officers shot and killed the suspect.
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Longbehn was awarded his department's Medal of Valor after he caught the man who killed a Maplewood police officer in 2010. The suspect attacked Longbehn with a makeshift club during a manhunt, breaking Longbehn's nose and skull. Longbehn shot and killed him.
The suspect's name was not immediately released. The task force includes St. Paul police, U.S. Marshal Service deputy marshals and Ramsey County sheriff's deputies.
Kody was 9 years old and had been with the department for seven years. Names of the officers were not released.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
