Police dog shot and killed during 25-hour standoff

Kobus, a 9-year-old K-9 nearing retirement, was shot and killed during a 25-hour standoff Saturday. (Omaha Police Department)

A Nebraska police dog was shot and killed after a mentally troubled man who was armed barricaded himself in a home and kept cops at bay for 25 hours, officials said Sunday.

The dog, Kobus, was killed when he was sent into the home during the standoff to check on the whereabouts of Mark L’Heureux, 59, around 4 p.m. Saturday, the Omaha World-Herald reported.

L’Heureux eventually surrendered.

“Kobus was a hero,” Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said, according to WOWT-TV. “He provided a great service at the scene of the dangerous standoff.”

Kobus was a 9-year-old Belgian Malinois who had served with the Omaha Police Department since 2008, according to Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer. The dog was set to retire in a few months.

“The loss of our K-9 brings great sadness to the department,” Schmaderer said, according to WOWT.

L’Heureux barricaded himself in the basement after Douglas County Sheriff deputies tried to serve him with a warrant for a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation about 5:30 p.m. Friday, the World-Herald reported.

On Friday night, L'Heureux fired sven shots at deputies when they attempted to dislodge a camera-equipped robot that had become stuck inside the house. Two of the bullets bounced off a deputy’s ballistic shield, the paper reported.

Kobus was sent in when authorities thought L’Heureux had been disoriented by a flash-bang device, the paper reported.

The standoff ended about 6:45 p.m. Saturday after firefighters flooded the basement with water.

“He was tired of being wet and cold,” Chief Deputy Tom Wheeler said, according to the World-Herald.

L'Heureux was taken to a psychiatric hospital. Charges are pending.

Two weeks ago an Ohio police dog died after being shot several times foiling a burglary.