A Mississippi Department of Corrections K-9 was found fatally wounded while on duty at the Marshall County Correctional Facility, officials said.
Prison officials said K-9 Officer Floki was found dead Thursday morning. Investigators believe the 7-year-old Dutch shepherd was shot about 7:45 p.m. Wednesday while working the back perimeter to help prevent contraband from entering the facility, the department said.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Holly Springs Police Department are working the case alongside the facility’s Corrections Investigation Division, officials said. K-9 Commander Josh Russell found Floki when he went to bring the dog food and water, according to the department.
Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible. “It’s a shame to kill a defenseless dog who was doing his job to help us keep contraband out of the prison,” Cain said. Cain noted that killing or injuring a public service animal is a felony in Mississippi, punishable by up to a $5,000 fine, five years in prison, or both.
Floki was a multipurpose K-9 used for tracking, narcotics detection and other assignments, the department said. Anyone with information is asked to contact Marshall County Correctional Facility Superintendent Frank Caswell or the prison’s Corrections Investigation Division at 662-252-7111. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
