BRISTOL, Wis. — A violent crime spree in Chicago might have been stopped in Wisconsin thanks in part to K9 Riggs with the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department. Chicago Police say the man Riggs helped to catch shot and killed at least two people.
Thursday morning in Chicago, police say a man went on a violent and deadly crime spree. They say the suspect first killed a 25-year-old man who was at a bus stop. Then, the suspect approached Miguel Padilla, 41, who was standing outside of his car. Police say the suspect shot and killed Padilla and then stole his car.
Chicago Police tracked the suspect to Bristol, Wisconsin driving Padilla’s copper SUV.
“We were tipped off by the Chicago Police Department and they told us they believed he was here at what we call Benson Corners, the Shell Station,” said Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth on Thursday.
Kenosha County Sheriff’s deputies did a high-risk traffic stop to try to arrest the suspect, but he took off running. K9 Riggs was released and caught the man. The suspect shot Riggs in the head. And then the suspect was shot. Sheriff Beth says Riggs saved others from being hurt on Thursday.
“He took the suspect down, kept him from running onto highway 50. A felon with a handgun, who knows what the felon would have done. Who knows if he would have tried carjacking somebody at gunpoint. In my world, Riggs is hero,” said Beth.
Police dogs are considered members of the department. Shooting or killing a police dog is a felony in Wisconsin. It is a Class I Felony to hurt a K9. That is punishable by three and a half years in prison and a $10,000 fine. If a police dog is killed, that is a Class H Felony which could mean up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Currently the suspect in this case is in the hospital and not facing any charges, so TMJ4 is not naming the man.
