Holly MatkinMcNairy County, TN – Selmer Police Department (SPD) K9 Bishop died on March 29 after being shot by a neighbor.
K9 Bishop was off-duty at home with his human partner, SPD Officer Robert Heathcock, when the officer suddenly realized the police K9 was no longer in his kennel, WKRN reported.
Officer Heathcock immediately began searching for K9 Bishop and soon discovered his lifeless body alongside Finger Leapwood Road.
He had been shot twice, according to the McNairy County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
Investigators concluded K9 Bishop had been facing away from his attacker when the first shot was fired, WKRN reported.
According to court documents, local resident Travis Sibley told police that “two large and aggressive dogs” had emerged from the wooded area near his home and started “charging at him and his son.”
He said he chased the dogs back into the woods, took his son inside, and headed back out with his shotgun, according to investigators.
Sibley claimed the two dogs came out of the woods to harass another neighbor and ducked off into the trees again, so he posted up at the end of his driveway and waited for them, WKRN reported.
When they started heading back in his direction, Sibley said he fired three rounds at them, hitting K9 Bishop two times, the MCSO said.
Sibley was subsequently charged with intentional killing of an animal, WKRN reported.
K9 Bishop served the SPD for four years.
“We are very saddened by the loss,” the agency told WKRN. “[K9 Bishop] will be greatly missed.”
A fundraising campaign established to help with K9 Bishop’s funeral costs was so successful, the SPD will be using the surplus funds to purchase another department K9 named Sheba.
Donors contributed over $21,500 before the organizer closed the campaign.
Selmer Police K9 Bishop shot and killed
😢RIP Bishop. We'll miss you. Condolences to Officer Heathcock, family, Selmer PD, and 260K Tiktok followers
🐶No details yet🙏💙https://t.co/ClHoXV2Q1B@Selmer_Police#BlueLine #BackTheBlue #dog #K9 #police #military #WaronDrugs #LivePD pic.twitter.com/knfj8Pl9xU— Tactical Dog (@TacticalDogLive) March 30, 2021
Happy Monday! With everything going on in the world, try to stay positive and be safe.
Remember, it's OK to be silly. Sometimes laughter is the best medicine.
And #BlessYou K9 Bishop. pic.twitter.com/g4P2qgf5k1
— K9s of Valor (@k9sofvalor) March 16, 2020
K9 Bishop
EOW: 3-29-2021
Handler: Robert Heathcock IV
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Heathcock family and the department during this incredibly hard time. K9 Bishop didn't deserve to die this way. Please use the link below for the full End of Watch:https://t.co/Y4XFhFyFpv pic.twitter.com/1GyVUys70I— K9s of Valor (@k9sofvalor) March 31, 2021
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Selmer Police Department and Officer Heathcock in the loss of K9 Bishop.
