Stanislaus County K-9 Recovering After Being Stabbed By Suspect

A Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office canine is continuing to recover after being stabbed last week while trying to apprehend a suspect.

Deputy Royjindar Singh, a spokesperson with the agency, says the five-year-old male Belgian Malinois, Rocky, will be out of duty for three to four weeks while he heals from stab wounds.

According to the sheriff's office, two deputies responded to a report of a suspicious person in the 1500 block of Paradise Road in Modesto at about 3:40 a.m. on Jan. 8.

The suspect, identified as 53-year-old Wesley Brackney, was aggressive and threatened the deputies, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.

As Rocky was deployed, Brackney took out a knife and began attacking the dog, deputies say. The deputies were eventually able to take the knife away during the attack.

Rocky sustained stab wounds to the head, the neck and the back, but the injuries were not life-threatening.

Singh says because Rocky is currently missing his training, he will have to go through a testing process before going back to normal duties.

Brackney is currently in custody and is being held on a misdemeanor violation charge and three felony charges -- resisting a peach officer by means of force, inflicting serious injury on a police animal and inflicting great bodily injury on a police animal.

-Capital Public Radio Staff