By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
- The Burbank Police Department released body-worn camera video showing the moments leading up to the fatal shooting of a police K-9 during a pursuit in November.
- The incident began with a traffic stop near an on-ramp to the northbound Interstate-5 freeway in Burbank, Calif.
- A 37-year-old suspect fled on foot, and officers deployed K-9 Spike to locate him.
- The suspect fired multiple shots, striking and fatally injuring the K-9; officers later killed the suspect in an exchange of gunfire.
- The suspect was identified as a documented gang member with a history of weapons offenses and previous deportation.
BURBANK, CA — The Burbank Police Department has released body-worn camera and dash camera footage showing the events leading up to the fatal shooting of a police K-9 in late November, officials said.
The incident began about 6:40 p.m. on Nov. 22, 2025, when officers initiated a traffic stop in the 2400 block of Buena Vista Street near an on-ramp to the northbound Interstate-5 freeway, the department said. During the stop, a 37-year-old passenger fled on foot and evaded initial contact.
A law enforcement helicopter helped locate the suspect hiding in dense brush adjacent to the freeway, and officers deployed K-9 Spike, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, to assist in the search, according to police. The suspect was armed and fired multiple shots, striking Spike.
Officers immediately transported Spike to an emergency veterinary hospital, but the K-9 did not survive his injuries, police said. Later that night, officers engaged the suspect in a shootout, and he was killed during the exchange of gunfire.
The suspect was identified by authorities as a member of the 18th Street Gang with several weapons-related arrests and a prior custody event for illegal re-entry into the United States following deportation, police said. The department has urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact investigators.