DeKalb K-9 released from pet hospital after being shot in head, losing eye
A DeKalb County police dog, who was shot in the head while hunting down a suspect accused of shooting and killing a DeKalb officer, has been released from a veterinary hospital, police said. K-9 Officer Indi, 7, lost his right eye after being shot above his right ear Thursday afternoon, DeKalb County police said in a news release Sunday. Brandon Taylor is accused of shooting Indi after shooting and killing Officer Edgar Flores, 24, following a traffic stop, AJC.com previously reported. Taylor was also shot and killed by responding officers after allegedly shooting Indi. MORE: Slain DeKalb officer was engaged, days away from 25th birthday Indi was removed from the scene by his handler, Officer Norman Larsen, and was taken to the Blue Pearl Emergency Pet Hospital in Sandy Springs, the release said. The incident happened around 5 p.m., so evening commute traffic delayed how quickly Indi could get to the hospital, the release said. Sandy Springs police helped by holding traffic at intersections and clearing roadways to help speed up the critically injured dog’s transport. DeKalb officers held a vigil for Indi Thursday night at the hospital, which was also attended by K-9 handlers from Sandy Springs, Brookhaven and Doraville, the release said. Aside from losing his eye, Indi is expected to make a full recovery, the release said. On Friday, DeKalb police Chief James Conroy said Indi could eventually return to duty. RELATED: A hero again: DeKalb K-9 Indi helps nab suspected cop killer “The dog was very helpful in apprehending and locating the subject in this case,” Conroy said. Indi has been with the department for five years. In that span, he helped catch a suspect in a brutal home invasion, which was featured on ajc.com in November 2016. In other news:
Multiple members of 1 family injured in deck collapse at Christmas party
A deck collapse at a home in Rockdale County left multiple members of one family injured Saturday as they enjoyed a Christmas party. The incident happened at a home on Lake Sorrento Drive in Rockdale County around 4:30 p.m. Eight members of the family were taken to hospitals after the two-story deck collapsed while they took holiday pictures. Channel 2's Michael Seiden is at Grady Memorial Hospital, where two of the victims were brought by air ambulance. Four more were taken to hospitals by ground ambulance and two self-transported to hospitals. Several more people were treated at the scene. Seiden spoke off-camera to the homeowner, who said it is a miracle no one was killed. Multiple people are recovering after a deck collapse at a home in Rockdale County. The homeowner tells me she and her relatives were taking photos when all of the sudden , the deck collapsed sending nearly a dozen people crashing to the ground. pic.twitter.com/TqJt5ZVUug — Michael Seiden (@SeidenWSBTV) December 15, 2018 TENDING STORIES: Pete Davidson posts despondent message on Instagram, deletes account Father reportedly turned away from mental health institute days before being shot, killed by police DeKalb officer killed in line of duty was engaged, about to celebrate birthday She told Seiden her two sisters suffered compound leg fractures and are scheduled to have surgery in the morning. The homeowner, who didn't want to be identified, said the collapse came out of nowhere. 'We were getting ready to snap a photo, and I just blacked out,' she said. The homeowner wasn't injured, but she saw her family members with horrific injuries. 'I rolled over and I saw my sister. Her foot, the bone was sticking out of her foot. Out of her boot,' she said. A neighbor said as soon as he heard the screams, he rushed toward the debris. 'We are moving their cars, helping the ambulance come down and they have a helicopter, so that was crazy,' Damani Allen said. The victims range in age from 19 to 70 years old. The homeowner said she's still in shock. 'I'm the only one that didn't get injured, because I think I fell on two people who saved me,' she said. A GoFundMe has been created to help the family. To learn more and donate, click here. Code enforcement and building inspectors are working to figure out how the collapse happened. Police said the victims have broken bones, including compound fractures, but none of the injuries are life-threatening. They are all expected to make a full recovery. Channel 2 Action News has learned that the homes in the subdivision are some of the oldest in the area and were built in the 1960s and 1970s. Rockdale Fire and National Emergency Medical Services originally responded to the scene but called in additional EMS support from DeKalb County.
