More questions than confirmed answers on Monday after a violent confrontation killed a Bexar County Sheriff's deputy K-9 in the line of the duty.
Authorities say Matthew Reyes Mireles shot and killed K-9 Chucky on Friday night. Mireles led authorities on a multi-county pursuit, he then spent more than 20 minutes on 1604 walking around and pointing his gun at officers.
Deputy Kevin Rasmussen is Chucky's handler and according to Sheriff Javier Salazar the two were one of the main teams involved in Friday's pursuit.
Chucky was killed by one bullet that police say was fired by the suspect Matthew Reyes Mireles.
"It appears that shot did sever or at least partially sever the aorta of Chucky's body and Chucky went down," Sheriff Salazar told said in a news conference on Monday.
But many wonder why Chucky wasn't wearing the protective gear he was given back in 2016. Chucky and his handler were on scene at least 20 minutes before his deadly encounter.
Salazar says Rasmussen didn't have time to put a vest on Chucky because they were in the midst of the pursuit.
"Had we had enough deputies to say, 'Hey you back off I'll go ahead and go and maybe try and catch up,' that just wasn't, we weren't afforded that luxury," the Sheriff added.
KENS 5 pressed Sheriff Salazar on whether it was protocol to order an unprotected deputy to take down a suspect who shot at other law enforcement minutes prior, he said he thought all protocol was followed.
"We're in mourning right now," he said.
So as far as second guessing anybody or looking into the hows, and whys, or what ifs, that time will come. For now I've got an agency that is absolutely heartbroken."
Mireles was shot by deputies he show Chucky. Authorities say he remains in the hospital in critical condition. Four deputies are on leave pending the investigation.
Chucky's funeral is scheduled for Monday, February 4, 10:00 a.m. at the Community Bible Church.
