NewsNational News

Actions

Suspects accused of killing K-9 officer, trying to murder deputies

Posted at 10:19 PM, Oct 24, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-24 22:28:50-04

ANDERSON, SC — Anderson County Sheriff John Skipper said Friday that he was “getting tired of the system” that puts criminals back on the street and vowed to “pursue (the suspects in the shooting death of a K-9 officer) vigorously,”WHNS reported.

Skipper said the investigation into Wednesday’s shooting revealed that the carjacking call which ultimately led to the shooting of the dog was falsely reported.

Skipper said the three men accused of attempted murder and abuse of police canine each had criminal histories and were affiliated with gangs.

“Here we were again, chasing them again,” Skipper said of the incident on Wednesday, highlighting his frustration that the suspects were on the street, “and unfortunately it ended in the death of one of our K-9 officers.”

Skipper recapped the timeline of the events leading up to the shooting and the manhunt, which ended Thursday.

Skipper said the incident began when Shirlandria Dixon gave Montavious Craig, Sergio Martin, and David Morris Jr. a ride from Seneca to the Dollar General in Townville. At the store, the four of them had an argument and Dixon allowed one of the males to drive. As she went around to get in the passenger seat, Skipper said the men locked the doors of the car and drove off without her.

Dixon called 911 and, according to Skipper, reported that the men held her at gunpoint and forced her to drive them around before taking off in the car, which deputies later found out was untrue.

Skipper said the false call ultimately led to the death of the K-9, named Hyco, that had served the department for six years.

“We wouldn’t have had a reason to stop the car if she hadn’t reported that,” Skipper said.

Deputies attempted to stop the car that the three men were driving on Highway 24,

Skipper said the car got stuck near New Prospect Church Road and all three men inside took off running.

Deputies, along with Hyco, began chasing the men on foot.

When Hyco caught up with one of the suspects and bit the man in the arm, the suspect turned and shot the dog.

Hyco suffered a “non-survivable wound” and died a short time later.

Several shots were fired by the suspects and deputies, Skipper said.

SLED recovered 15 bullet casings in the woods.

Some bullets lodged in a building at a nearby apartment complex and one entered into an apartment.

While searching for the men in the woods, deputies found three guns, one of which was stolen, a stolen laptop, and drugs.

Deputies also found Martin, 23, in the woods and took him into custody.

Skipper said Martin had what appeared to be a bite wound on his arm.

The search for the remaining suspects continued into Thursday, when Skipper said a tip led deputies to make a traffic stop on East Shockley Ferry Road, where they found David Morris. Jr. hiding in the car.

“He was found under a blanket in the back seat, trying to hide,” Skipper said.

Martavious Craig turned himself in at the Seneca police department on Thursday also.

All three men were charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of cruelty to a police dog.

When investigators began interviewing the suspects, they noted the discrepancies between their accounts and Dixon’s version of the carjacking complaint.

Investigators found evidence to charge Dixon with filing a false police report.

Martin was denied bond in a Thursday court hearing.

A judge also denied bond for Crag and Morris during a hearing Friday morning.