Duluth, MN – Duluth Police Department K9 Haas was fatally shot while responding to a felony-level domestic assault call on Sunday night.

The incident occurred at about 6:29 p.m. on Jan. 13 when police received a call about a domestic assault with a weapon in the 1000-block of W. Skyline Parkway, according to a press release by the Duluth Police Department.

Officers arrived on the scene and located the male suspect inside the residence.

A standoff began, and police began negotiating with the barricaded suspect, according to the press release.

After an hour of negotiations, the suspect began shooting at police.

K9 Haas and his handler, Duluth Police Officer Aaron Haller, were both struck by gunfire, the press release said.

An officer returned fire as K9 Haas died at the scene.

Officer Haller was treated and released from a local hospital later in the night, according to the Duluth police press release.

When police were able to get into the room where the suspect had been, the gunman was found deceased.

It was not clear whether the suspect had been struck by a police bullet or whether he had taken his own life, KARE reported.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will be conducting the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, according to the police department’s press release.

K9 Haas turned three years old on Jan. 5. He was a Belgian Malinois who came to the department from the Netherlands through the Northland K9 Foundation.

He was trained in patrol and narcotics detection.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with our local Law Enforcement community. Unfortunately one of the local K9s was shot in the line of duty tonight on an incident in Duluth, MN protecting his handler and other officers,” the Itasca County Sheriff’s Office posted on their official Facebook page. “Rest Easy Haas. Run free over the rainbow bridge. Your sacrifices will never be forgotten!”

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Duluth Police Department and Officer Aaron Haller on the loss of K9 Haas.

Rest easy, hero. Your life mattered.