POLICE DOG STABBED
K9 Norbi was assisting in burglary arrest
According to Troy police, one of their canines was stabbed 12 times by a burglary suspect as officers were attempting to arrest him.
Approximately before 4 a.m. Wednesday morning Troy police were called to the area of Donegal Avenue in the Emerald Greens neighborhood where multiple residents reported an unknown suspect attempting to gain entry to their residences. Officers were on the scene in less than two minutes and began searching for the suspect.
Troy police K9 Norbi and his handler were one of the first arriving units and they joined the search for the suspect, later identified as Curtis Knockwood, 25, of Troy.
K9 Norbi began tracking for Knockwood and led the officers to a wooded area near Donegal Avenue. K9 Norbi and his handler located Knockwood in the wooded area and attempted to take him into custody. While doing so, police said Knockwood began to stab K9 Norbi with a knife multiple times. K9 Norbi’s handler, along with other officers on the scene, engaged with Knockwood in an attempt to apprehend the suspect and aid K9 Norbi.
K9 Norbi was removed from the situation by his handler and immediately evacuated to nearby Upstate Veterinary Specialties for evaluation and treatment. During the apprehension, another involved officer, not the K9 handler, also sustained a broken foot. Knockwood sustained injuries consistent with a K9 bite, is being treated at a local area hospital, and was expected to be discharged Wednesday.
He is currently in Troy Police custody and will be processed/arraigned upon his discharge.
“K9 Norbi is in critical but stable condition. He is currently in the compassionate and excellent care of our partners at Upstate Veterinary Services, where he will remain until he is able to be discharged to his handler for further recovery. We are cautiously optimistic and hopeful that K9 Norbi will make a full recovery, able to return to service with his handler for full duty,” Troy Assistant Chief of Police Steven Barker stated.
Detectives are continuing the investigation throughout Wednesday to determine the extent of the acts alleged to have been committed by Knockwood. Initially, he was reported to have attempted to gain access to at least several occupied residences in the Emerald Green neighborhood. Knockwood was expected to be charged Wednesday with several counts of attempted burglary and injuring a police animal.
He was expected to be arraigned in Troy City Court later Wednesday. The case will be prosecuted by the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office.
“We are thankful for the community members who quickly alerted 911 as soon as they observed suspicious activity in their neighborhood. We are proud of the efforts of K9 Norbi and his handler during their locating and apprehension of the suspect, and also the professional actions of the assisting officers who were able to arrest the suspect and get K9 Norbi to the veterinary professionals that he needed. Finally, we are appreciative of the entire staff of Upstate Veterinary Specialties who have provided incredible care for K9 Norbi throughout [Wednesday’s] incident,” Barker noted.
If you have any information regarding Wednesday’s incident, or any other Troy police investigation, you’re urged to contact detectives at (518) 270-4421 or report online at troypd.org.