Memorial service set for police dog as Wichita man is charged in his death
A memorial service for Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Bane has been scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 9:30 a.m.
The service will be live streamed on the sheriff’s office Facebook page. The public is also invited to stop by the Sedgwick County Extension Center at 7001 West 21st Street North between noon and 2 p.m. to pay their respects to K-9 Bane.
Bane was killed on Thursday after following a 24-year-old man who had eluded police into a storm drain in southeast Wichita, the Eagle reported.
Kaylon Kirkwood of Wichita made his first appearance in court on Tuesday. He was charged with felony counts of battery against a law enforcement officer and harming or killing certain dogs, Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Dillon said in an email.
He also was charged with misdemeanor counts of domestic battery and battery that allegedly occurred on Nov. 10, according to Dillon.
Police had been looking for Kirkwood in connection with a robbery and domestic violence battery, Wichita Police Department spokesperson Juan Rebolledo previously said.
Officers were patrolling the area of White Oak and Hildreth shortly before noon when they spotted Kirkwood walking. He ran into a nearby creek bed and then went to a large storm drain.
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and released K-9 Bane into the storm drain.
“He strangled (the) K-9 to death,” Rebolledo said.
First responders tried to resuscitate the dog for 30 to 40 minutes. Kirkwood surrendered to police at about 2:40 p.m. and was taken into custody, police said.
Wichita Police Lt. Aaron Moses said Bane and a Wichita police K-9 were both released on extended leashes into the storm drain. A camera was also used. Moses said the other K-9 wasn’t injured, The Eagle reported.
Bane was an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois who had worked with the sheriff’s office for one year after working at the Wichita Police Department. His previous handler was former WPD officer Daniel Gumm, who died of cancer last year.
This story was originally published November 21, 2023 at 1:39 PM.