Wounded K-9 develops pneumonia

A Delaware police dog wounded by a fleeing suspect and hailed as a hero last week has developed pneumonia, his doctor reported today.

Diablo, a year-and-a-half old Belgian Malinois, remains in the Intensive Care Unit at the University of Pennsylvania's Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital, but is up and walking, surgeon Elaine Holmes said in a statement.

There was no word on the dog's prognosis.

Diablo was shot about 12:40 a.m. Wednesday at a Wilmington apartment complex where police had been called to investigate a domestic altercation.

Eric Weit, 34, had allegedly threatened to kill his estranged girlfriend and said if police were called it would "turn into a shootout," said Cpl. Trinidad Navarro, spokesman for the New Castle County police.

Officers searched the complex and found Weit's car. A shot rang out from behind one of the apartment buildings and Diablo and his handler went to investigate, Navarro said.

In minutes, Diablo caught scent of the man in a wooded area covered with thick brush and went after him.

"That's when the suspect fired several rounds letting us pinpoint his location," Navarro said. A bullet ripped through Diablo's left shoulder. Another shattered the K-9's left leg.

Despite his injuries, Diablo hung on to the man and released him only when his handler called out.

When police moved in, Weit allegedly pointed his handgun at them.

"There was a firefight," Navarro said. Officers shot Weis multiple times in the upper and lower torso.

Diablo limped back to his handler and collapsed at his feet. The handler scooped him up and rushed him to a local animal hospital, Navarro said.

Weit, of Wilmington, was taken into custody and transported to Christiana Hospital where he was treated for non life-threatening gunshot wounds, Navarro said.