Residents demand transparency in an investigation into police K9 shot on duty

WADESBORO, NC – Wadesboro residents are demanding answers after a police K9 was shot on the job during a chase across county lines on April 1st.

Josh Harrington says he breeds and imports police K9s. He donated K9 Blitz to the Wadesboro Police Department in January. “(Police Chief Jason Eschert) told me they were broke and couldn’t afford a K9,” Harrington recalls.

He says Eschert assured him Blitz would only be used for drug searches. Wadesboro Police used Blitz in at least two drug searches. Then authorities used Blitz while chasing a woman from Anson to Montgomery County during the first week of April.

“He let go of the suspect and went for his toy, accidentally biting the handler’s hand because she put herself in the position to get bit,” Harrington said. “After that, Chief said they had to shoot the dog to get him off the handler.”

Harrington shared a video that he says shows the moments before Blitz was shot dozens of times.

“The story has changed about seven different times, until officers started talking to other officers, and deputies started talking to other deputies, that’s how we learned that there were 31 shots fired (at the dog),” Harrington said.

At a heated Wadesboro town hall meeting Monday night, citizens called for Chief Eschert’s resignation. Eschert claims Blitz had a history of misconduct, which he says Harrington did not tell him about. “K9 Blitz was given to Mr. Harrington with the understanding that he would only be used to breed,” Eschert said.

Eschert says he’s investigating the shooting of the dog. “I’m sorry at the loss of that dog,” Eschert said. “More will come out later that I cannot discuss here,” he added.

Harrington says he wants answers about why Blitz was used in a chase and then shot. He says, “(I want) justice for Blitz, people being held accountable, and transparency being clear to the citizens, and his remains being turned over to the appropriate owners so he can be honored and have the funeral he deserves.”

Chief Eschert says he contacted the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and the SBI about the next steps in this investigation. Eschert also says officers involved in the incident were wearing body cameras, but NC law does not allow the release of the video without a court order.