OKANOGAN COUNTY, Wash. – A 911 call from a store owner near Aeneas Valley Road prompted a pursuit down Highway 20 and ultimately resulted in a dangerous encounter with the suspect’s dog.
The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office said its dispatch received the store owner’s call around 12:53 p.m. on Monday. The store owner told them a man had pointed a gun at them and taken items from the store.
The sheriff’s office said a deputy saw the suspect’s car driving west on Highway 20 a short time after the robbery was reported. It said that when the deputy tried to pull the suspect over, they tried to flee.
The suspect eventually stopped at Havaillah Road, but refused to cooperate with deputies who were giving him commands.
The sheriff’s office said that during the interaction, a large dog exited the suspect’s car and “attempted to attack the deputies on scene.”
“The dog was unfortunately destroyed for the safety of all involved,” the sheriff’s office said.
After killing the dog, the deputies took the suspect into custody without further incident, the sheriff’s office said.
The investigation is still ongoing.
