Illinois police dog killed during shootout between authorities and suspect

A brave police dog was killed in an exchange of gunfire between deputies and a carjacking suspect in a Chicago suburb Wednesday afternoon.

The slain K9 officer, named Hudson, was hailed a hero following the 2 p.m. shootout that also left the suspect dead.

“We have a very large K9 unit, the largest outside of Cook County, and it’s a very close knit family,” Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain said during the news conference, adding. “This is a big loss for us. He was a great dog.”

The carjacking suspect opened fire after he crashed the vehicle at an intersection during a police pursuit, authorities said.

When he got out of the car with a handgun, the police dog charged and bit him, Hain said.

The dog was shot during a shootout between deputies and the unidentified man, Hain said.

The suspect’s name and age were not released Wednesday.

The dog was named after a fallen Illinois state trooper and was a member of the narcotics detection unit, Hain said.

Later Wednesday, K9 Hudson’s body made his final approach to the sheriff’s office as department personnel and other police dogs saluted the slain canine.

“This is a big loss for us, but he’s an absolute hero today, along with our deputies who brought this to a successful close without injury to any innocent civilians,” Hain said.

With Post wires