In 2014, an Oklahoma City police dog bravely helped his partner catch a knife-wielding thief. K-9 officer Kye, a 3-year-old Belgian German Shepard, was stabbed while taking down the suspect in the chase. That's when his handler, sergeant Ryan Stark, fatally shot the suspect.
Kye was rushed to the emergency room, but tragically, he died from his wounds. He was laid to rest with full honors, and a funeral service and send-off fit for such a courageous hero. "Without question, Kye’s sacrifice saved the life of one of the officers," said Sgt. Coy Gilbert, who delivered the eulogy inside First Baptist Church in Del City.
More than 1,000 people and dozens of canine handlers and service dogs attended the funeral service, including Sgt. Stark and his family. The Oklahoma Police Department posted a heartbreaking photo of the sergeant leaning over Kye's casket to give him a pat goodbye. The photo quickly went viral, spreading Kye's legacy across the country. Funeral-goers shed tears before his coffin, draped in an American flag, was buried. He was also given out an emotional 21-gun salute.
As if this wasn't touching enough, the flag from Kye's casket was presented to the sergeant. His remains will also stay with the Stark family.
Stark's new K-9 unit is named Kayne, a sable German Shepard from Slovakia.
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In 2014, an Oklahoma City police dog bravely helped his partner, sergeant Ryan Stark, catch a knife-wielding thief. K-9 officer Kye was a 3-year-old Belgian German Shepard.
Kye was fatally stabbed while taking down the suspect in the chase. That's when his handler, sergeant Ryan Stark, fatally shot the suspect.
This photo quickly went viral after The Oklahoma Police Department posted it on Facebook. The photo shows the sergeant leaning over Kye's casket to give him a pat goodbye. Funeral-goers shed tears before his coffin, draped in an American flag, was buried. He was also given out an emotional 21-gun salute.
The flag from Kye's casket was presented to the heartbroken sergeant. His remains will also stay with the Stark family.
