DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Authorities with the Lithonia Police Department have confirmed that missing K-9 Officer Perro was found on Monday, suffering from a gunshot wound.

Police said Officer Perro, a 12-year-old Belgian Malinois, was located early Monday morning by The DeKalb County Animal Control.

“As of right now we do not have a location where he was shot,” authorities explained, adding that they also do not know of any calls being made about a “nuisance dog or a dog being shot.”

Due to severity of the gunshot wound, authorities said an emergency decision was made to put Perro down.

Officer Perro had last been seen over the weekend in the area of Flakes Mill Road.

Perro’s handler, Major Patterson, said he went to check on Perro around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday when he noticed Perro had broken a board in the fence.

The LPD released the following statement:

“The Lithonia Police department would like to thank the DeKalb County Animal Control for acting swiftly in locating Officer Perro. The Lithonia Police Department would also like to thank the following agencies for all their assistance: DeKalb County Police, Henry County Police, all City of Lithonia volunteers that came in and worked through the night as well as all media outlets that put the information out to the public. At this time we would ask for privacy for our K9 handler Major Patterson and his family as they grieve not only for the loss of Major Patterson’s partner, but a true friend and family member within his family. The Lithonia Police Department will have details of Officer Perro’s passing as well as service arrangements in the coming days.”

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