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Kenosha County Sheriff's Deputy Shoots Chicago Homicide Suspect At Bristol Gas Station After Two-State Crime Spree; Suspect Shot Police K-9 During Confrontation

by Charlie De Mar and Marrisa Parra

BRISTOL, Wis. (CBS) -- A Kenosha County Sheriff's deputy shot a suspect at a gas station in the village of Bristol, Wisconsin, on Thursday morning, after spotting a car that was involved in a homicide in Chicago, after he shot a police K-9, authorities said.

The car the suspect was driving belonged to the victim of one of two murders on Chicago's Northwest Side early Thursday morning, CBS 2 has learned.

Kenosha County sheriff David Beth said around 11:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m., Kenosha County Sheriff's deputies responded to the Benson Corners Shell gas station, at the corner of State Highway 50 and U.S. Route 45 in Bristol, in an attempt to locate a stolen vehicle involved in a murder in Chicago, according to the sheriff's office. The sheriff's office had received a tip from Chicago Police.

A suspect was found driving the vehicle, which had belonged to the homicide victim, Beth said.

Three deputies rushed to the scene and tried to make what Beth described as a high-risk traffic stop. The deputies ordered the suspect to come out with his hands up, but the suspect did not follow orders and instead took off running, Beth said.

As the suspect ran through the parking lot of the gas station, sheriff's deputies released a K9 officer named Riggs. The dog captured the suspect just before he ran onto Highway 50, Beth said.

The suspect still had his gun in his hand at the time, and he shot the dog, Beth said. Riggs suffered a bullet wound to the forehead.

Sources told CBS 2's Charlie De Mar that Riggs was taken to a veterinary trauma center in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. The dog suffered a fractured skull, but the bullet missed the dog's brain, and the dog is doing well so far, sources said.

Kenosha County Sheriff  Outside Veterinary Center
A Kenosha County Sheriff's police vehicle is seen outside a veterinary center in Buffalo Grove. (Credit: Marissa Parra/CBS 2)

Meanwhile, several deputies fired multiple shots at the suspect, who was struck at least once each in the abdomen in leg. Deputies then put handcuffs on the suspect while tending to his wounds, Beth said.

The suspect was taken to a hospital by Bristol, Wisconsin Fire Department paramedics. He was undergoing surgery late Thursday.

K9 Riggs
Kenosha County Sheriff K-9 Riggs with his handler. (Source: Kenosha County Sheriff)

Beth said Riggs is expected to survive, but is not likely to return to K9 officer duty. He said Riggs was the hero of the day for taking the suspect down and keeping him off Highway 50.

Riggs, Kenosha County Sheriff's K9
(Source: Kenosha County Sheriff)

"Who knows what the felon would have done?" Beth said. "Who knows if he would have gone out there and tried carjacking somebody at gunpoint?"

CBS 2's Marissa Parra spoke with Paul Pomazal, the director of TOPS kennels in Grayslake. He helped train Riggs in 2014, and saw him as recently as last week.

Pomazal raced to the surgery center as soon as he found out that Riggs was shot.

"He's a little scrapper. He's probably not one of our bigger dogs," Pomazal said. "He's a small dog with a big heart and a big attitude."

Pomazal highlighted the importance of K9 officers.

"Sometimes, you know, it's a dog's position to take that bullet that might have been meant for an officer – you know what I mean?" he said. "The bottom line is they're there to protect us."

Police say the car the car the homicide suspect was driving was a brown Buick. Chicago Police late Thursday were also looking for a gunman who got away in a brown Buick Encore after police said he shot and killed two men in Logan Square and Hermosa early Thursday morning.

Late Thursday, CBS 2 learned it was the same car. We tracked the license plate and found a match.

Police said a 25-year-old man was sitting at a bus stop in the 3900 block of West Fullerton Avenue around 1:08 a.m., when he was approached by a man who fired a shot after an argument. The 25-year-old was shot in the chest and was pronounced dead on the scene.

The offender then fled on foot to the 2300 block of North Keystone where stole a 41-year-old man's vehicle. During the carjacking, the suspect shot the victim in the chest. The 41-year-old man - identified as Miguel Padilla - was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Canter, where he was pronounced dead.

The offender fled in the victim's vehicle.

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