Reiko, a two-year-old police dog, returned home Tuesday night after being shot in the line of duty in West Covina Sunday.
A gunman shot Reiko after police arrived at a home in the 1500 block of East Elgenia Avenue (map) to conduct a murder investigation.
Officers returned fire and struck the alleged gunman, who was declared dead at the scene.
Reiko’s partner, Officer Bryan Rodriguez, credits the K-9 for saving his life. Rodriguez choked up as he spoke to reporters about the incident Tuesday evening.
“He did something that a lot of others guys … wouldn’t do,” Rodriguez said. “For him to jump in there and take that bullet, it’s amazing.”
The bullet lodged dangerously close to Reiko’s spine, and he had to undergo life-saving surgery.
After his release from a special animal hospital in Atwater Village, Reiko was headed to Rodriguez’s home where he was expected to make a full recovery.