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Braintree Police Department K9 Kitt was honored during the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington DC., an event that was live-streamed by the National Police Dog Foundation. The second week of May is a week to honor the fallen brothers and sisters of police departments around the nation from 2021 and in years past.
National Police Week offers honor, remembrance, and peer support, while allowing law enforcement, survivors, and citizens to gather and pay homage to those who gave their lives in the line of duty. National Police Week draws in between 25,000 to 40,000 attendees.
Braintree Officers, on their own time and dime, went down to Washington D.C. to honor fallen officers, K9 Kitt, Lt. Principe, and Sgt. Decross.
On June 4th, 2021, K9 Kitt, a 12-year veteran of the department, and three other Braintree Police officers responded to a domestic incident. While police were chasing the suspect, he hid in nearby woods. Police believe that the suspect intentionally hid so as to be able to ambush the officers and the K9.
As the suspect open fired on the officers, K9 Kitt absorbed the first rounds, but two other officers, Kitt’s handler Braintree Police Officer Bill Cushing, and Officer Matthew Donoghue were also shot and wounded. Unfortunately, K9 Kitt died on scene, having given his life protecting the other Braintree officers allowing them to recover from their injuries and go home to their families. The two officers were both taken to local hospitals and are undergoing surgery.
All photos by the Braintree Police Department:
