In March of 2014, Bruno the K-9 German Shepard was shot in the face while chasing down a suspect. His partner, Officer RJ Young, was devastated.
The suspect was killed in the gunfire, but Bruno stopped him from hurting anyone else — including Officer Young. "[He was shot] point blank, it was a horrific thing to have to watch," he told ABC News. "My entire world came tumbling down in the matter of a second."
Bruno, who at the time was a 6-year veteran of the Anaheim, CA, police force, was bleeding profusely and was rushed to the hospital. A bullet remained lodged inside his chest, but miraculously, it barely missed his heart. After bravely undergoing two surgeries, Bruno's breathing tube was removed. A week after Bruno was hospitalized, the cameras were rolling when Officer Young was finally able to hug his partner again.
Bruno never returned to life as a canine officer. Instead, he retired and happily went home with Officer Young and his family. Officer Young said, "He’s like a son to me. Bruno will be with me for the rest of my life."
Though the police force doesn't consider him a replacement for Bruno, a 2-year-old German Shepherd named Yukon is now Officer Young's new partner.
Watch the tear-jerking reunion below, and please SHARE this video with your friends on Facebook!
