Back in January 2016, police officer Ryan Davis of Canton, Ohio was called in to a grocery store burglary.
His partner on duty was a dog named Jethro, who the Davis family had raised from just 8 weeks old.
Jethro was not only a member of the police department – he was a part of the family.
When the two arrived on scene, the burglar began firing at them. Jethro was shot and killed in the confrontation. Davis says Jethro saved his life by his bold actions.
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Jethro’s funeral was attended by hundreds of community members and officers, both K-9 and human.
Jethro was just 3 years old.
The man who shot Jethro, Kelonte Barefield, was later arrested and sentenced to 45 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges including an unrelated robbery, and was given the maximum of 6 years for killing Jethro.
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Since Jethro’s death, the Canton Police Department has received over 2,000 letters of support from the community. The Ohio state legislature is currently considering increasing the sentence for those who kill K-9 officers.
What do you think of this sentence? Should he have gotten more time? Or Less?
Comment below and tell us what you think!
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