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Hero police dog shot in head taking down suspect who refused to drop weapon

K-9 Riggs chased down a suspect who bolted from police after refusing to drop his weapon but after successfully tackling him, the police dog was shot in the forehead

[K-9 Riggs]

K-9 Riggs was shot in the head (Image: FoxNews)

A police dog shot in the head while taking down suspect survives in "miracle".

K-9 Riggs has amazed vets by taking a bullet to the forehead on Thursday and walking out alive just a few days later.

A welcome party was assembled on Sunday as the dog from Kenosha County Sheriff's Department in Wisconsin, US, returned home from an Illinois surgery.

K-9 Riggs' colleagues say they were called out to a petrol station following reports of a stolen vehicle that was used in a Chicago murder, Fox6 reports.

According to Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth, three police officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop in which they told the suspect to put his hands up.

[K-9 Riggs]

Members of the community celebrated K-9 Riggs' release from the vets (Image: FoxNews)

Ignoring the order, the suspect started running away at which point K-9 Riggs was released to capture him before he made it onto a highway.

As Riggs tackled the suspect to the ground, however, he suffered a gunshot wound to the forehead.

The outpouring of support for Riggs from the community overwhelmed his handler, Terry Tifft.

Terry said: "Im so humbled by it. Im so emotional right now. I havent slept well knowing the dog was 45 minutes away.

[K-9 Riggs poster]

K-9 Riggs' recovery will be closely monitored over the next few weeks (Image: FoxNews)

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"I could only go and visit him for short periods because they needed him to rest up so he could be released. Every time I left, it was hard. He wanted to come with me."

"Its a miracle. It is a miracle. The bullet actually traveled around the skull and out the back here.

"Hes family. He has always been. Hes family."

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Speaking at K-9 Riggs' hero's welcome, Jane Herbert said: "Had no idea that there would be this many."

Kenosha Alderman David Bogdala added: "Its totally organic, but again, it just shows how much our community really comes together and rallies. Just shows how much our community is united behind welcoming Riggs back. He saved a lot of people, potentially."

"It will make me really happy to know that hes still alive, and that he got so lucky and that hes still here with us," said Ava Ennis.

As Riggs recovers at home, his return to work will be based on his progress over the next few weeks.

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