A fake carjacking started the chain of events.
Via WISTV:
Anderson County Sheriff John Skipper said Friday that he was “getting tired of the system” that puts criminals back on the street and vowed to “pursue (the suspects in the shooting death of a K-9 officer) vigorously.”
Skipper said the investigation into Wednesday’s shooting revealed that the carjacking call which ultimately led to the shooting of the dog was falsely reported.
Skipper said the three men accused of attempted murder and abuse of police canine each had criminal histories and were affiliated with gangs.
“Here we were again, chasing them again,” Skipper said of the incident on Wednesday, highlighting his frustration that the suspects were on the street, “and unfortunately it ended in the death of one of our K-9 officers.”
Skipper recapped the timeline of the events leading up to the shooting and the manhunt, which ended Thursday.
Skipper said the incident began when Shirlandria Dixon gave Montavious Craig, Sergio Martin, and David Morris Jr. a ride from Seneca to the Dollar General in Townville. At the store, the four of them had an argument and Dixon allowed one of the males to drive. As she went around to get in the passenger seat, Skipper said the men locked the doors of the car and drove off without her.
Dixon called 911 and, according to Skipper, reported that the men held her at gunpoint and forced her to drive them around before taking off in the car, which deputies later found out was untrue.
Skipper said the false call ultimately led to the death of the K-9, named Hyco, that had served the department for six years.
“We wouldn’t have had a reason to stop the car if she hadn’t reported that,” Skipper said.