2 teens plead guilty in shooting death of S.C. police dog

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Two teens charged in the shooting death of Richland County K-9 Bumi pleaded guilty, according to Sheriff Leon Lott.

Lott announced Monday in a news conference that a 13-year-old fired five shots toward the police dog. Two of those bullets hit the dog.

Lott said the shooting happened after deputies spotted a car on Parklane Road, which was reported stolen. Around 2 a.m. Dec. 23, the deputies tried to stop the car but the driver refused to stop, according to the sheriff’s department.

A 16-year-old enger in the alleged stolen vehicle stayed at the scene. He pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice. According to a news release from the sheriff’s department, he was sentenced to 12 months of probation and will now go to Greenville County on a court order related to a separate incident.

The driver of the stolen vehicle is believed to be 17-year-old Damien Brown, the sheriff’s department said. He was arrested on Saturday and will be charged as an adult.

Brown’s bond was denied and the sheriff’s department said in a news release he is facing several charges.

The 13-year-old boy, accused of shooting K-9 Bumi, turned himself in to authorities after the sheriff’s last press conference. He pled guilty to killing K-9 Bumi and several other charges, including a downgraded charge of assault and battery in the first degree, the sheriff’s department said.

One of the places where Bumi was hit was where he did not have protection from his vest, according to Lott.

“You see how violent it is in our community,” Lott said.

Lott addressed criticism during the press conference that of the community have said his department is focused more on this case that others, because it involves one of their K-9s.

“Every victim is very important to us,” Lott said, explaining that his department “solves” every murder in the county.

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