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Police K-9 Dead, Deputy Wounded As Standoff Ends

Last updated on Tuesday, June 25, 2013

(SELLERSBURG) - A former Louisville firefighter is in custody after a nine-hour standoff in Sellersburg that left a deputy wounded and killed a state police K-9 officer.

State police told WAVE-TV in Louisville officers were serving a warrant in Sellersburg around noon Monday when the armed man ran from officers. Officers were called to the home by Joshua Priddy's wife, who wanted police to help her husband because he was suffering from mental issues.

Clark County Sheriff Danny Rodden said officers chased Priddy, who had taken his two children, ages 16 and 4, from his home and left them in the backyard as he was confronted by police. Sellersburg police say Priddy pointed a gun at them before leaving his children.

Brittany Hobbs, a neighbor who helped the children told WAVE-TV, "He (one of the children) came running to me and just clenched onto me and said 'Just hold me.' He said, 'My dad held a gun to my head saying he was going to shoot me, he's gonna shoot me.'"

Priddy then ran to a home on East Delaware Court and kicked in the door. Police said Priddy lived in the area, but not at at the home where the stand off took place.

Sellersburg Police had called for assistance and Trooper Nathan Abbott along with his K-9 partner, Kilo arrived at the scene. Kilo entered the residence first followed by several officers and shortly thereafter there was gunfire. Investigators said six or seven shots were fired in a back room of the home, where the Priddy was barricaded.

The officers retreated from the residence but Kilo did not exit. At this point a standoff ensued. Officers from several area police agencies responded to the scene and secured the area. Two Indiana State Police SWAT teams along with a Clark County SWAT team also arrived on the scene.

All afternoon negotiators attempted to establish dialog with the Priddy who refused to respond to those attempts. Also during the standoff a robot with a camera mounted to it was deployed inside the residence. The robot located the Priddy inside the home however the he fired several rounds at the robot disabling the camera. Priddy also fired rounds at officers outside the residence wounding a Clark County Sheriff's Deputy. The deputy was subsequently evacuated from the scene and flown to University Hospital in Louisville with non life-threatening injuries. Investigators said six or seven shots were fired in a back room of the home, where the Priddy was barricaded. A Clark County sheriff's deputy suffered gunshot wounds to the leg. He was taken to University Hospital in Louisville.

The officer was in stable condition and did not suffer life-threatening injuries. He was alert and talking when he arrived at the hospital.

ISP K-9 officer "Kilo" was killed by the gunfire around 3:30 pm. Police described Kilo as a well-known police dog that had been part of numerous drug busts.

After it was determined attempts to negotiate with the Priddy were not going to be effective SWAT teams deployed numerous rounds of teargas inside the home. At approximately 9:25 p.m. the Priddy surrendered to officers ending the nearly 10 hour standoff.

31-year-old Joshua L. Priddy, of Sellersburg, was finally taken into custody. He is currently being held in the Clark County Jail on charges of Attempted Murder of a Police Officer (Class A Felony), Causing the Death of a Law Enforcement Animal (Class D Felony), Burglary (Class B Felony), Residential Entry (Class D Felony), Pointing a Firearm (Class D Felony), and Criminal Recklessness with a Firearm (Class C Felony).

Police say none of the residents of the home were there during the standoff, which finally ended around 9 p.m. Monday.

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