Heroic police dog Kenzo is stabbed to death by armed robbery suspects in Arizona during scuffle after taking him out during chase

• Kenzo was going along with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department searching for the two men when they saw someone enter a commercial yard Friday 
• The K-9 was let off his leash to go try and find the suspicious man for the department, authorities said 
• When they found the dog, he was lying on the ground next to one of the robbery suspects. He was pronounced dead at a veterinarian’s office 

An Arizona police dog is being mourned after he was stabbed to death while hunting down two suspects in an armed robbery.

Kenzo, of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, was let of his leash after cops saw a suspect enter the fencing of a commercial yard on Friday night.

Eventually, Kenzo didn’t return and the deputies became worried, finally charging in after him.

When they found the dog, he was lying on the ground with a knife wound next to one of the robbery suspects. He was rushed to a local vet but died of his injuries, according to Tuscon.com.

‘We are saddened by the loss of K9 Kenzo and reminded of the dangers our deputies face along with their K9 partners who serve right beside them,’ the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. 

Kenzo, an Arizona police dog, is being mourned after he was stabbed to death while he and local sheriff’s deputies were attempting to hunt down two suspects in an armed robbery

Cody D. ‘Slade’ Bartlett, 36; and Juan Tacho, 32 – the two suspects Kenzo and the deputies were chasing – have since been arrested.

Bartlett faces charges of armed robbery, aggravated robbery and killing/harming a work/service animal.

Tacho was brought in custody on suspicion of armed robbery, aggravated robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. 

Dog lovers and K-9 units around the country are mourning Kenzo and thanking him for his service.

Kenzo was going along with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department searching for the two men when they saw someone enter the fencing of a commercial yard Friday night

The K-9 was let off his leash to go try and find the suspicious man for the department, authorities said

Eventually, Kenzo didn’t return and the deputies became worried, finally charging in after him. When they found the dog, he was lying on the ground next to one of the robbery suspects

Cody D. ‘Slade’ Bartlett (pictured left), 36; and Juan Tacho (pictured right), 32 – the two suspects Kenzo and the deputies were chasing – have since been arrested

‘Please keep his handler and Pima County’s K9 Unit in your thoughts and prayers as they grieve this tragic loss. Gain your angel wings and fly high,’ wrote one.

The Georgia Police K9 Foundation added: ‘May he rest in peace. Thank you for your service Kenzo. Our thoughts and prayers with all involved.’

Another, citing a similar recent instance of a K-9 in Tucson being killed, added: ‘Enough is enough,’ adding prayers for Kenzo. 

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