Police K-9 fatally shot, suspect killed in Long Beach officer-involved shooting

A barricade situation with an assault suspect led to an officer-involved shooting in Long Beach Tuesday, leaving both the suspect and a 4-year-old police dog dead.

Police originally went to the 2800 block of East 15th Street at about 9 a.m. to look for a man wanted in connection with an assault with a deadly weapon, according to the Long Beach Police Department.

Gunfire broke out about two hours later. It wasn't immediately clear what prompted the shooting, how many shots were fired or if the suspect fired at officers.

Following the shooting, however, an officer was seen carrying the limp body of a police dog -- later identified as Credo, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois -- from the scene and placing him on a sidewalk. The dog was then
placed into a patrol car and driven to a nearby animal hospital, where it waspronounced dead.

"It is with heartfelt sadness that we announce our K9 Credo succumbed to his injuries,'' the LBPD tweeted.

The suspect, meanwhile, was also shot and was treated by paramedics at the scene. The suspect was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The suspect's identity was not immediately released.

Long Beach police Deputy Chief Richard Conant said Credo had been with the department for two years.

"This is going to be a substantial loss to our K-9 corps, to our K-9 handler that has worked with Credo the past two years and to the Long Beach police family,'' Conant said. "These K-9s are not just dogs. These are police officers. This dog was injured in the performance of his duty and that's going to weigh heavily on the Long Beach police family.''

No other injuries were reported, police said.

Because of street closures caused by the ongoing the investigation, police advised parents of students at Lee Elementary School to pick up their children at their regular dismissal times at Orizaba Avenue and 17th Street.

Conant said the suspect in the shooting was wanted in connection with multiple shootings in the Long Beach area.

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