Suspect and police dog die after police shooting in Alton. One officer injured
ALTON – A suspect and an Alton police dog died Thursday shortly after a shootout in an Alton neighborhood between police and the suspect, authorities said.
The unidentified man died at a hospital after being shot in the 700 block of East Sixth Street in Alton, according to Illinois State Police.
Police dog Odin died Thursday afternoon at a veterinary clinic, Alton Police Chief Jarrett Ford said. Odin joined the police force less than a year ago.
The dog’s handler, Officer Alan Averback, was injured in the shooting but is expected to recover soon, Alton city officials said in a Facebook post.
Authorities have not yet released the dead man’s name, but he may be connected to an assault on a woman Wednesday night on East Broadway in Alton, more than a mile from Thursday’s shooting.
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The shooting on East Sixth Street was reported around 5:30 a.m. Thursday. The officer frantically radioed that he had been shot and that his dog had also been hit, according to dispatch logs. Authorities have not said how many shots were fired.
Police had been in the area near Henry Street since at least 5 a.m. Thursday morning, searching for the man who shot and killed a woman Wednesday. Police noted that a man was spotted on Ridge Street north of a liquor store. It was not clear if that man was the assault suspect or if he was the one who later died in the shooting.
Alton police have asked the Illinois State Police to take over the use of force investigation. The State Police will turn the results over to the Madison County District Attorney.
Madison County Prosecutor Tom Haine said in a statement, “‘Police officer down’ are the two worst words anyone can hear, but in this case, we are all eternally grateful that this officer was somehow able to escape serious injury.” Haine said Odin’s death “will be hard.”
Haine said he was grateful that the victim of Wednesday’s attack was not seriously injured.