A burglary suspect remains in the University Medical Center's intensive care unit after a shooting involving a police officer early Sunday morning in Albemarle County. The police officer is now on paid leave.
State Police Public Information Officer David Cooper identified the wounded man as 31-year-old Robert Lee Cooke of Goochland.
A statement from Albemarle officials said that County police received a call for a burglary in progress at 1074 Reservoir Road at 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
K-9 officer Andy Gluba and his German Shepherd, Ingo, responded to the scene. During the incident, Gluba issued a "shots fired" call to county officials.
The release says that during the incident, Ingo was "shot by the suspect and critically wounded." Ingo died soon thereafter. Cooke also was shot during the incident.
According to Cooper, Cooke remains in the custody of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Jail officials while at the Medical Center. Cooke has been charged with shooting a police animal and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to Albemarle spokesperson Lee Catlin, Gupta is on paid administrative leave pending typical state and local investigations on his actions in accord with policies and procedures regarding use of force.
Catlin said no charges have yet been filed against Cooke in regard to the burglary call.
Another Albemarle County police officer was involved in a shooting in August 2003. In that incident, 30-year-old Raimond Riviere was shot by Officer J.M. Fields after a suspected drunk driving stop.
Catlin said the police dog's death has been difficult for the department, especially those who worked closely with Ingo.
"The department as a whole gets attached to the K-9," Catlin said. "It's really a difficult time now. We realize that a very fundamental part of the K-9's job is to protect the officer. When something happens, you are very glad that nothing happened to the officer but at the same time saddened at the loss of the dog."
Albemarle Police officials released a statement yesterday regarding Ingo's death.
Ingo was born in Eastern Europe and was imported to the U.S. in 1995. Working with the Albemarle police for the past six years, Ingo played a major role in the apprehension of escaped serial rapist Timothy Eades and a recent five-pound marijuana drug find, the release said.
The Albemarle County Police Foundation currently is accepting donations for a replacement police dog.
Capt. Crystal Limerick of Albemarle police said there was "no question" that Ingo died heroically.
"After the dog was shot, he continued to try to engage the suspect -- that is what allowed the officer to find the suspect and protect himself," Limerick said. The K-9s "are officers, essentially. Even though they are four-legged partners they have an extensive amount of training and they can perform jobs that even police officers can't do... Ingo was a valued member of the police department that will be truly missed."
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