Suspect charged in killing of police dog

Richland County sheriff’s deputies have identified the suspect they say shot at their deputies and killed one of their dogs in an early morning attempted robbery and police chase in North Columbia.

Maurice Antwon McCreary, 21, has been arrested and charged with the unlawful killing of a police dog, five counts of attempted murder and two counts of armed robbery, said Sheriff Leon Lott.

McCreary was arrested at 10:30 a.m. Friday near the intersection of Barony Drive and Brickyard Drive, in the Ridgewood community. McCreary was hiding in a shed attached to a house, said Richland County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Chris Cowan. The house is about a quarter-mile from Eau Claire High School.

Deputies responded to a robbery in progress at Johnson’s market, at 5200 Monticello Road, around 2:30 a.m. Friday. The community market is about one mile from I-20, near Ridgewood Park.

The suspect fired shots at two store employees, stole an undetermined amount of money, then fled the scene, Cowan said. Officers were minutes away, he said. The employees were uninjured.

Sheriff’s deputies spotted the suspect nearby and began chasing him on foot.

“The suspect was apprehended by one of our canines, but the suspect opened fire on the dog and the deputy and ... hit the canine multiple times,” Cowan said.

The dog, a Belgian Malinois named Fargo, was handled by Master Deputy Warren Cavanagh. Cavanagh was uninjured but Fargo, who was hit in his upper body, was fatally wounded.

Fargo was not wearing a vest, Cowan said, but the dog may have sustained a fatal wound in an area where a vest would not have covered.

“The vets are trying to make a determination (of where Fargo was hit),” Cowan said.

Unlike sheriff’s deputies who ride with their vests and gear on, Cowan said it is not uncommon for police dogs to ride in patrol cars without wearing vests.

“They are riding in the back of a vehicle in a very confined space,” Cowan said. “They can be in there for 12 hours or more so it would not be practical. But this was (also) a rapid deployment situation. Deputies were literally seconds away. Cavanagh and Fargo were on the scene within minutes. Perhaps seconds.”

Deputies returned the suspect’s fire, but the man broke free and the chase continued.

Deputies, Columbia police and the Highway Patrol searched for the suspect for eight hours. Six Richland 1 schools in the area were delayed from opening for two hours.

The suspect was arrested on multiple felony charges, Cowan said. There is a statute for the killing of a police dog in the line of duty.

Cowan said the deputy, who came to the department in 2006 from the office of the Inspector General with the state Department of Juvenile Justice, was trying to handle the death of his dog but “needed time.”

“This is a very difficult time for everyone,” Cowan said. “The canines are a part of the sheriff’s family. We feel that they are deputies. They go on patrol ... 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They are out there making are communities safe. They interact with kids in schools and others in the community, so they’re a very integral part of the success of our department.”

Fargo was part of a team of 15 dogs, each with its own handler.

Many in the Midlands were saddened to hear the news of Fargo’s death.

Elaine Henderson, whose organization, Heroes Vest Fund, works to raise money for custom-fitted vests for canine officers, said she had been receiving calls “all morning.”

“My Facebook page lit up with responses, and my phone started blowing up this morning,” Henderson said. “There’s a huge sense of community loss when something like this happens.”

When told that Fargo’s injuries may have been fatal even if the dog had been wearing a vest, Henderson said the added protection still helps those on the front lines of crimefighting.

“There is always the risk of fatality for a dog when it is hit outside of the coverage area just like with a human officer, but ... the vests save lives everyday."

The vests are made from the highest grade bullet-material material on the market and provide protection against stabbings, slashings or bullet wounds.

“If a dog is shot it has an 80 percent chance of being able to survive,” she said.

By Friday morning, the nonprofit, which works to raise money year round, had already set up a special fund to accept donations in Fargo’s memory. Vests cost $2,300 and last the life of the dog’s career.

“We want to make sure we have the funds ready when (Deputy Cavanaugh) receives his new partner,” Henderson said.

Reach Lucas at (803) 771-8657.