Florida Department of Corrections, Florida
End of Watch: Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Age: 11
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Heatstroke
Date of Incident: May 10, 2017
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
K9 Freckles died after suffering heat exhaustion while tracking a wanted fugitive as part of a multi-day manhunt in the Laurel Hill area of Okaloosa County.
The suspect had lead officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission on a pursuit before abandoning the stolen truck he was driving and fleeing on foot. A handgun was found in the truck following the pursuit. It is believed the man then committed several burglaries and vehicle larcenies in the area over several days.
Freckles had served with the Florida Department of Corrections for 11 years at the Okaloosa Correctional Institution.