Anderson, CA – An Anderson police K9 was undeterred in his mission to apprehend a fleeing felon on Saturday, even after he was shot by the suspect he was pursuing.

The incident began at approximately 3:50 a.m., when a Redding Police officer attempted to stop the driver of a 2018 Nissan Altima that had been reported as stolen, the Anderson Police Department said in a media release.

The driver, later identified as 25-year-old Dillion James Sullivan, refused to pull over, leading the officer on a high-speed pursuit onto Highway 273.

“The vehicle then crossed into the opposing lane of traffic, driving southbound in the northbound lanes of Highway 273,” Anderson police said in the media release.

Out of concern for the safety of the public, the Redding officer terminated the pursuit.

A short while later, an Anderson police officer spotted the stolen vehicle driving out of a neighborhood in the area of Hill Street and Highway 273, the department said.

Sullivan again refused to pull over, resulting in a second pursuit.

The stolen vehicle ultimately turned down a dead-end road, at which point he “made a U-Turn and drove back towards the pursuing officers,” the media release read.

Sullivan slammed “head on” into an Anderson patrol vehicle, then bailed out of the stolen Nissan and took off on foot.

Anderson police deployed K9 Chance to apprehend Sullivan, but as the K9 was bearing down on him, Sullivan turned and fired at least one round at him, police said.

The bullet struck K9 Chance in his left ear, but he was undeterred and continued to pursue the gunman.

“K9 Chance took Sullivan to the ground where he continued to violently resist,” Anderson police said. “After a violent struggle Sullivan was taken into custody.”

Investigators recovered a handgun at the scene, and also located a shotgun in the trunk of the stolen vehicle.

Sullivan, a convicted felon with a history of assault with a deadly weapon and other weapons-related offenses, was transported to a hospital for treatment.

He was ultimately booked into jail on 17 charges, including felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, attempted murder on a police officer, assault on a police canine capable of committing death or serious injury, unlawful discharge of a firearm, evading a peace officer, and multiple drug and weapons-related charges, among others, the department said on Sunday.

Sullivan was also recently released from “Post Release Community Supervision,” the department’s press release read.

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An Anderson police officer was injured while taking Sullivan into custody, and was also transported to the hospital for treatment.

Details regarding the nature and severity of the officer’s injury was not provided.

K9 Chance was transported to a veterinary hospital for treatment of his “through and through” gunshot wound, and has since been released to make a full recovery at home, Anderson Police Lieutenant Steve Blunk told reporters.

“[K9 Chance] expected to be back to work for his next regularly scheduled shift,” the agency noted in its press release.

“The Anderson Police Department is extremely proud of the bravery K-9 Chance displayed. Had K-9 Chance not been at the scene and not acted as heroically as he did, this incident could have turned into a tragedy, with a high potential for the loss of human life,” the police department said.

The incident is being investigated by a multi-agency team, including members of the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office, the Redding Police Department, the Anderson Police Department, and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office, according to the media release.