Holly MatkinTulsa, OK – Eufaula Police Department (EPD) K9 Tito died in the line of duty on Sept. 15 after the air conditioning in his handler’s patrol vehicle failed.
The four-year-old Belgian Malinois’ partner was setting up training scenarios and left K9 Tito inside the air-conditioned patrol vehicle in the meantime, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
When he returned to the patrol unit to retrieve K9 Tito, he discovered the vehicle’s air conditioning had failed and was blowing hot air instead.
K9 Tito was rushed to a local veterinary office by ambulance, where he was stabilized, according to a fundraising page established to help cover his medical costs.
He was in need of more advanced care and was escorted to the Oklahoma Veterinary Specialist Clinic in Jenks, Oklahoma by three police vehicles.
“Doctors there continued to work on Tito for several hours,” the fundraising page read. “In the late hours of the night it was determined by a team of veterinarians that Tito had sustained severe, irreversible brain damage.”
He was ultimately humanely euthanized due to the severity of his injuries.
K9 Tito began serving the EPD in 2017 and served alongside his handler, EPD Officer Connor Enox.
He was credited for many tracks, apprehensions, and drug arrests during his years of service, KTUL reported.
“Tito loved working, riding in his police vehicle and searching for narcotics,” according to the fundraising page. “He was a very good dog and will be missed dearly.”
Eufaula K9 officer dies after 'mechanical failure' during training exercise
😡What the hell is the mechanical failure? Weird wording
😢RIP Titohttps://t.co/r5WRRlb84H #BackTheBlue #ThinBlueLine #dog #K9 #police #military #MWD #WaronDrugs #LivePD pic.twitter.com/5c1jsIDeb3— Tactical Dog (@TacticalDogLive) September 18, 2021
Our thoughts are with the Eufaula Police Department as they mourn the loss of K-9 Tito who died during a training event from complications of a mechanical failure. Tito was a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois. #EOW #K9 pic.twitter.com/tZUP3b5kO1
— ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) September 24, 2021
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Eufaula Police Department and Officer Enox in the loss of K9 Tito.
Sandy Malone
