COLORADO SPRINGS – A SWAT officer and a police dog who were wounded during the arrest of a robbery suspect last month were accidentally shot by two other officers, according to an investigation.
Officer Rafael Chanza and the dog, a 5-year-old German shepherd named Bosco, were shot Nov. 7 during the arrest of William Allen Gregg in Colorado Springs.
According to a report released Wednesday by the 4th Judicial District attorney’s office, Bosco was accidentally shot in the head by Officer Rob McPike, who fired his gun several times after Gregg pointed his gun at officers outside of a house. Bosco lost an eye and had to be retired as a police dog.
A bullet fired by Officer Lance Lazoff went through Gregg and hit Chanza’s bullet-resistant vest, shattering and causing superficial wounds to Chanza’s arm.
The district attorney’s office had ruled McPike and Lazoff were justified in using deadly force in the wounding of Gregg.
Gregg faces charges of aggravated robbery with a gun and two counts of first-degree assault in the shootout.
