By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- ·On May 30, 2026, Grand Rapids, Michigan, police responded to a domestic disturbance call in the 1000 block of Alpine Avenue NW, where a male subject had threatened family members with a knife.
- ·The suspect threw a lit Molotov cocktail at a patrol vehicle, setting it on fire, then fled on foot — attempting a carjacking at knifepoint and attempting to enter a neighboring residence before officers deployed K-9 Digo to subdue him.
- ·The suspect charged officers with a knife and was fatally shot; his identity had not been released as of the time of publication.
- ·K-9 Digo was stabbed in the head during the encounter; damage marks on his protective vest indicated he would have sustained potentially fatal wounds to the body without it.
- ·Digo was treated at an animal emergency hospital, released, and is recovering at home with his handler; department officials expect him to return to active K-9 duty pending a fitness evaluation.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Grand Rapids Police Department K-9 is recovering from a stab wound to the head sustained during a violent confrontation on May 30, 2026, that ended with officers fatally shooting a suspect who had thrown a Molotov cocktail at a patrol vehicle and charged at officers with a knife, according to the Grand Rapids Police Department.
The incident began at approximately 1:15 p.m. in the 1000 block of Alpine Avenue NW after officers responded to a report that a male subject had threatened family members with a knife. Upon police arrival, the suspect exited a residence and threw a lit Molotov cocktail at a patrol car, igniting the vehicle. He then fled on foot while officers attempted to negotiate with him. During the foot pursuit, the suspect unsuccessfully attempted to carjack a motorist at knifepoint and tried to force entry into a nearby residence before continuing to flee through the neighborhood.
Officers deployed K-9 Digo in an effort to subdue the suspect. The suspect subsequently charged at officers while armed with a knife and was shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The department had not publicly released the suspect’s identity as of the time of publication.
Digo sustained a stab wound to the head during the encounter. Grand Rapids police stated that damage patterns on the dog’s protective vest indicated he would have suffered potentially fatal wounds to the body had he not been wearing it. Digo was transported to an animal emergency hospital, treated, and subsequently released to recover at home with his handler.
Deputy Chief P.J. Baker said in a statement that the department expects the dog to return to active duty, pending a post-recovery fitness evaluation. “At this point, we expect Digo will return to the K9 team, but will have to evaluate his fitness for duty when he is fully healed,” Baker stated. No officers were reported injured during the incident.