“He lost his partner” — RCSD mourns death of K-9 Wick

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — After a memorial service took place just yesterday for a member of the SLED K-9 unit, deputies and specialists with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department are  mourning the loss of one of their beloved animals.

Investigators say around 1 a.m. Thursday morning, K-9 Specialist Zaid Abdullah and K-9 Wick were in pursuit of a suspect on foot when K-9 Wick’s leash broke.

“They were going after him, and as Wick jumped over the barrier cables on 77 — again these dogs are very strong. They have a high drive. They pull hard. And as Wick jumped over that barrier and hit the ground… gave a hard pull, and the leash came apart,” says Sheriff Leon Lott with RCSD.

Lott says Wick continued after the suspect when he was hit and killed by a car.

The sheriff’s department held a procession beginning on Fernandina Road and ending at State Street in West Columbia to honor their fallen friend.

But what led to the incident?

Deputies believe the suspect was operating a work van he’d stolen Wednesday afternoon from downtown Columbia while workers were on their lunch break.

After refusing to stop at a traffic stop, the suspect exited the vehicle and fled on foot — leading to the chase with K-9 Wick.

Sheriff Lott calls the situation a “perfect storm,” saying, “He had the bad guy in his sights and that’s what he was going after. We didn’t release the dog. So I don’t want people to think ‘Oh, we let the dog go across the interstate.’ That’s not what happened. Nobody feels worse than K-9 Handler Abdullah. He lost his partner.”

Lott says deputies are continuing their search for the suspect and asks that anyone with any information call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.