Hundreds paid their respects to Tyson, a Fountain County K-9 officer who died in the line of duty last month.
"He was one of us," said Fountain County Sheriff William Sanders.
That's how members of the Fountain County Sheriff's Department are remembering fallen K-9 Deputy Tyson, who died last month from heat exhaustion after chasing three armed robbery suspects.
For Tyson's handler, Deputy Andrew Krout, the loss is profound.
"He's taking it pretty hard and he still and he will for awhile," Sanders said.
The flag was lowered to half-staff outside Sterling Christian Church where Tyson's funeral was held, with hundreds of officers from across the state. Many of them, also K-9 handlers who came to pay their respects to both Tyson and Deputy Krout.
"It's not just another officer. He's a brother. We train together. I've helped him with his dog, he's helped me with my dog. They're very close. I just can't. The sadness is unbelievable," said Attica Police Sgt. Kyle Askren.
Askren is also a K-9 handler and knows the risk for his partner, Dirk.
"He's a wonderful animal. The bond is amazing," Askren said.
A bond strengthened every day on the job and when they go home.
"They're amazing animals. They have no fear. They'll go places officers won't. They're not going to go into a building with an armed suspect, like a dog will. A dog will go in with no fear and it will take whatever it needs to do," Askren said.
That's just the kind of relationship Sheriff Sanders says Deputy K-9 Tyson had with his handler.
"He was his backup. He was his partner. We depended on him," the sheriff said.
With Tyson's loss, there is now a void the department can't ignore.
(WTHR - July 9, 2016)
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